


Hellions Of Arcadia

by Fuffywumple



Category: Life Is Strange (Video Game)
Genre: F/F, Malfunctioning powers, Time Powers, disphoria
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-10
Updated: 2019-01-08
Packaged: 2019-01-15 18:10:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 40
Words: 88,548
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12326181
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fuffywumple/pseuds/Fuffywumple
Summary: The storm that devistated Arcadia Bay was only the beginning, it was the start of a whole new saga for Chloe Price and Max Caulfield. The two girls were scared from the events that transpired, but this war is far from over.If you want updates and knowledge of the inner workings of my writing, follow my writing only Twitter: (@flooplooop) for any and all updates





	1. Glass

**Author's Note:**

> So today is the 3 year anniversary of LiS Episode 1? That’s insane! I haven’t quite been in the fandom for 3 years, but it’s still an incredible milestone, and I’m glad to have this community in my life today

Max

"Max, Hey! Listen to me!" I jerk up with a sudden jolt of adrenaline, it takes a minute to figure out where I am. Chloe sits beside me in the truck, her face covered in worry. "Max, are you okay?"

I stare at her for a moment, not sure what she means. I groan, trying to find words. "You must have had some dream.. I could hear you." Chloe says, her eyes burning into me like hot coals. I cough up the stale air in my lungs and wince.

It feels so cold in this truck, I reach for the heater but can't quite reach it, Chloe helps, cranking the heat for me. I can hear cars driving on the highway beside us, then I realize we are pulled over. I shake my head out. Had I been that loud, my dream couldn't have been that bad... I think? I can't remember what I was dreaming about.

Chloe rests her hand on my shoulder for what must be the 200th time this car ride, I shrug it off smoothly. "I'm fine." I say, talking before she can even open her mouth. Chloe frowns, "Max-" She starts, but I cut her off. "Let's just drive. Chloe." She looks hesitant, but then grips wheel and pulls back onto the highway anyway.

I don't know where that jet of hostility had come from. But I feel almost empty, the past few hours or days have been crushing, I don't want to talk to anybody until I can sort myself out.

Of course I won't tell Chloe what's wrong with me, I don't want her to get involved in my own shit. The guilt is ripping me apart from the inside out, it's almost too strong to handle. I killed people. They didn't deserve it, that town died because of me, because of the death and destruction I caused, and that didn't stop. And for what? Just to ride off into the sunset with Chloe?

_Is she worth all that?_

I can't get that thought out of my head, Dream Max pried that into my head when I passed out before the storm. She said those words and I can't get that out. I feel guilty about thinking it, how can I say that? Chloe is my friend, my partner in crime. Or maybe my hellraiser.

Somewhere off in the distance thunder rumbles, my throat tightens.

My fingers begin to numb as sleep pulls at my limbs, but my thoughts keep me just at the surface, Arcadia Bay didn't deserve what I did to it, no one deserves what I did, not even Frank or Nathan or-

_But Chloe did._

No, no. That's not true, the voice in my head won't stop. _But think about it, she never cared. It was your power Max, you mean nothing to her._ The truck is suddenly very hot. I shuffle in my spot and my back is sweaty, the cut above my forehead reopened again. I almost forgot about it somehow, during our escape to Chloe's truck. A piece of debris was flung from the storm and sliced my face. Karma I guess. With everything else happening, it kind of faded from my mind. But the pain didn't, really. The pain will last a long time.

The voice is quiet, as of now, at least. Chloe's old truck shudders and groans as she pulls over to a gas station, when she gets out, Chloe kicks the side of the truck. "Piece of shit." She grumbles, and pries the lid to the gas tank open. I slide out of the car too, slowly, letting my legs get a good stretch. _Chloe certainly treats her car like shit, just like treats you like shit._ I shake my head hard. Why do I think these things? I know they aren't true, right? I can't stop myself. I stretch achingly. I don't know exactly how long we were in the car, but the sun is starting to rise. Or set.

I've barely been conscious during the car ride, slipping in and out of sleep, my blood feels like its made of syrup, and my bones lead. I don't know if we have been driving for hours or days. I can't think with the thick blanket of haze covering my mind, Chloe's voice sounds far away, like my ears are below water and she's standing just above the surface. "Max." Her voice crystallizes, I flick my eyes to meet hers. "Hm?" I hum absently. I'm now focused on how the sun is shining off Chloe's head, the perfect photo...

"You look like hell," she states, lighting up a cigarette while putting the gas knob into the tank.

"Gee, thanks." I answer, giving her a look. "Hey, you're not supposed to be smoking here," I state. Chloe frowns but keeps smoking anyway. I have always hated that habit of hers, but I never bothered to tell her to stop. They're her lungs, I guess.

We stand in silence while the gas pumps. I look at the slowly rising sun, and Chloe stares at me. I try to avoid her gaze, but she just won't stop staring. I meet her gaze, "what?" I ask, she only smirks. "I wasn't kidding when I said you look like shit Max." I frown at her from across the car and she smirks more, almost shit-eating. I stare at her, how can she be joking right now? Arcadia is gone, and it's my fault.

Chloe looks at me, her eyes glossy. Not in a crying sort of way, but she looks concerned. I shrug it off and look away. We both stand in silence. I know she's trying to cheer me up, make me feel better. But I don't think I'm ready to feel better, and Chloe's efforts feel exhausting.

Our silence ends with the loud click of the gas pump stopping, Chloe regains her senses and pulls the pump free. "Get in, I'll be back soon." She digs her hands in her pockets and starts towards the gas station. I comply and shuffle into the truck. True to her word, Chloe is back in no time with snacks, she throws them onto the bench but I refuse to eat. "I'm just not hungry." I shrug quietly.

"You have to eat, max. You'll make yourself sick." Chloe insists, grabbing one of the slim-jims.

" _How_?" I ask, "I don't think that's how it works, Chloe."

"Yeah, that is how it works." Chloe says, gnawing on her snack.

"I'm  _not_ eating, Chloe."

"Okay, okay. But they're always there when you need them." Chloe concedes, getting back on the road.

"Are you sure you don't want to tell me what's wrong, Max?" Chloe asks after a few minutes of silent driving. I shake my head, "tired that's all." Chloe doesn't believe me, I can tell, but she doesn't bother to push me further and nods. "Get some rest, only a few hours now."

Oh I know she wants to help, looking at her form the corner of my eye. She seems tense, her shoulders taught, arms straight with both hands on the wheel. She almost always drives one handed. Her cap is pulled lower than usual. I know she's trying to help. But having the person who I caused my trauma for trying to help me, isn't very appealing.

I rest my head on the truck window, feeling the cool glass against my skin. I stare at a sign as it passes.

_Seattle, 140 Mi_

Our journey has only begun and I already know, I won't make it out alive.


	2. Bonded

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so, I'm not going to publish chapters this fast. But I'm just really excited to get this fic off the ground. Eventually I'm gonna start slowing down and publishing chapters maybe every week, or biweekly (that's every two weeks not twice a week) So now enjoy the chapter!

Chloe

Chloe Price was many things, but she sure wasn't stupid, she knew what was really bothering Max. And it was bothering her too. Chloe couldn't stop thinking about how she should be dead. But instead Max killed an entire town to save her. She shouldn't have felt proud by that, but something that sure wasn't guilt swelled in her gut.

_I'll always be with you._

Chloe knew she had to keep her promise to Max sacred. After all the sacrifices Max made for her, she knew she had a lifetime to repay, Chloe briefly looked over at Max in the passenger seat. The smaller girl lay pressed up against the window, her hair a tangled mess and lips slightly ajar. Each exhale from Max caused the window to fog up. Chloe wasn't sure if Max was actually asleep or just pretending, she decided not to bother the other girl.

With Seattle being under two hours away, Chloe shuffled on the bench with her hands on the wheel. She wasn't sure which of the girls had chosen to go to Seattle. Or maybe it was an unspoken agreement. There was nowhere else to go, Chloe's home is completely destroyed. And neither girls can afford a place of their own, the only place they can go is to Max's parents house. Great.

She could admit, Chloe hated living upstairs in her old house. She felt as if she was draining poor Joyce, her mother who she loved. And would never see again.

Gripping the steering wheel harder, Chloe shook the thought from her mind. Part of her blamed herself for her mother's death. But the other part wanted to blame Max... But she couldn't, Max made a completely life changing choice, for Chloe. To save her life.

Chloe needed food, more than snacks, she needed a meal. She drove through whatever town they had been in until she found a McDonalds. It wasn't great, but it was all they had. She parked the truck and looked over at Max. The younger girl lay asleep on the window, Chloe leaned over and lightly shook her arm.

Max moaned and blinked, lifting her face off of the glass. She pushed her bangs out of her face, her lips were swollen from being pressed to the glass. She looked at Chloe with half opened, dazed eyes. Chloe's guts twisted in a way she wasn't familiar with. "Max, time for food." Max hummed quietly. Chloe opened her car door and got out.

The other girl slowly crawled out of her side, rubbing her eyes with her hoodie sleeve. "Chloe..." Max murmured, Chloe walked to her and linked her arm with Max Caulfield's. And pulled her in the building. "Sit. I'll order us some food."

Chloe walked up to the counter and ordered some burgers and hella fries. Then dropping the tray on the table in front of Max. The girl didn't respond, not even when Chloe sat down. "Earth to Max." She snapped in the air, making Max flinch. "Wuh... What?"

Chloe chuckled, "look at you. I would have thought that sleeping several hours in a car would have helped you." Max stared blankly at Chloe, then sneezed, grabbing a napkin from the table. Chloe's heart sank. She quickly recovered, grabbing a burger. "Greasy food. Hella yes."

Unwrapping her burger wrapper, Chloe dug into her burger. She hadn't eaten anything bigger than a bag of skittles in... Well, she didn't know. Chloe lost concept of time since the storm, since the party, She wasn't sure how long ago it had been. But it felt like centuries. She looked over at Max, who was picking at her fries. Her phone vibrated, and she flinched.

"You getting texts too?" Chloe nodded towards Max's phone. Max nodded back, "I can't bring myself to read them. What... What if..." Max started. Chloe set down her burger, setting her hand on top of Max's. "It'll be okay Max, let's just-"

"Okay?" Max interrupted, fuming. "Okay?!" She slammed her hands down on the flimsy tray. "Chloe nothing is... is... okay anymore. We destroyed a town, I killed people." Chloe shushed her, no one needed to hear what was happening here...

Chloe was surprised, Max hadn't even said that many words since the cliff, she left to herself in the truck. Chloe tried to giver her space, but it hurt to see Max like this. She felt partly responsible. "Nothing is okay Chloe, this is permanent. We can't fix the city, we can't fix our lives. We... We... We..." Chloe rubbed Max's fingers.

"Relax okay?" We can figure things out. It may take time, but it's not too late. We have each other, that's all we need." Chloe said, she didn't even know why she said that. The words just flowed out. Max shook her head. "No. Chloe. I can't relax, not now."

Chloe shook her head, unbelievable. "I'm trying to help, Max. Can't you see? It's just us. It's us against the world now." Max scoffed, she refused to look at Chloe now. The blue haired girl stopped trying. She stood abruptly, causing her chair to scrape against the floor. Max flinched.

Chloe got up to throw away the wrappers. She stomped back to Max. Who had been reverted back to doe-eyed. Her nose began to dribble blood. "Shit..." Chloe mumbled, grabbing some unused napkins, she began to wipe the blood from Max's nose. But the smaller girl barely seemed to notice what was happening. Chloe's abdomen tightened, all traces of the fight were ignored as she carried the brunette out to her truck. Max writhed in her arms. Chloe placed Max in the passenger seat.

Max clogged her nose with the napkin while Chloe climbed in. "I dun't need yur help." Max mumbled, her voice contorted form the napkin clogging her nose. Chloe felt steam pumping from her ears, Max had no reason to be doing this, Chloe hadn't done _anything_ to provoke her. Max was being _selfish_. "I'm only trying to help you." She restated.

"Well stop. I'm fine Chloe!" Max was fuming, she was on some sort of angst roll, Chloe wasn't sure what caused Max to act like this, she only wanted to help. It made her mad. "Well we wouldn't be in this situation if it weren't for you!"

The smaller girl flinched, then growled. "Only because you sat there and whined. 'You're my partner in time, Max.' 'My life isn't fair, I'm the only one who's ever felt pain, boo hoo. Feel bad for me!' 'Wahh, the girl who I loved who didn't give a shit about me is dead. Wahh.'"

Okay, that was too far. Chloe's eyes began to water, Rachel did care about her, she only slept with Frank for the drug, right? She hit the horn on the truck, causing max to flinch. And she didn't speak again. Chloe started driving.

The two girls sat it silence for a few minutes, before Chloe said, dead quiet. "You will never speak about Rachel that way again." Max nodded, and rested her head against the window, closing her eyes. "I'm sorry."

Chloe nodded, and kept driving. Neither of the girls spoke again.

After a while on the road, Chloe calmed down from her fury. The punk looked over at Max, asleep on the window. Looking at her angelic face. Chloe couldn't keep mad at her, they were both going through a lot, they just needed to get to Seattle. She stepped on the gas harder.

The silence of that truck was deafening. Chloe grabbed a CD from underneath the dash and jammed it into the CD player, the music began to blast from the speakers, she quickly turned the music down, in favor for Max.

The sheepish girl grunted against the window, but remained asleep, or at least pretend asleep. Chloe sighed in relief.

Staring at the road ahead, Chloe couldn't stop thinking about Max. She thought about how weird it was that Max appeared in her life now of all time. And the crazy adventures the two girls went on in only 5 days. It almost felt like a dream, it was just like the many fantasies that Chloe had when Max was in Seattle.

Chloe knew that this storm would change Max forever, she was already acting different. Her skin seemed somehow paler. Her face covered in dried blood and snot.

After several pee breaks and food raids, the girls were on their last stretch to Seattle. Max was asleep most of the ride, slipping between sleeping and awake. Leaving Chloe alone to her own thoughts. When the truck entered the Seattle city limits, Chloe looked over at the sleeping Max against the window. And she knew, she never would leave Max.


	3. Seattle

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "I am one and forgotten,  
> I am  
> I am love loss destruction  
> I am  
> All but gone" -Koethe, I am.

Max

The rain stung like needles, it threatened to pierce my skin.

Wait.

Rain? When had it started raining? I sat up in my seat. But the truck is gone, Chloe is gone. I'm alone on the cliff, hot pain pelted my skin, the lighthouse shone brightly beside me. Not again.

I've lived and relived this nightmare, I'm going to watch over and over as the hurricane shreds Arcadia to pieces, and it's all my fault. I'm am a bearer of death. I am love, loss, destruction.

"Well isn't that true little Maxine?" A voice calls.

Well shit, that's new.

I'm always alone in this cliff, always, watching the destruction I caused. Because I was selfish, I was vain, greedy, and selfish. I turn to see Chloe on the cliff, she looks just like when we were on that cliff. A soaked angel. She squints her eyes. "Happy now, Caulfield? Look what you did."

I blink. _What_?

"You fucking killed a town, thousands of people dead just because you wanted to save me. A girl who you don't even know likes you back. Huh?" Chloe growls, I blink again. "God, say something, idiot."

_IDIOT_

I shake my head out. When I look back at Chloe, a deep red stain spills out from her abdomen, soaking her shirt. "I don't love you Max." She sneers, slowly stepping towards me. "I never did, you were just my little puppet." In the blink of an eye, Chloe was close enough that she touched my cheek delicately with her fingers. "You were my key to Rachel. And now that I've found her..." Chloe trails off.

She leans in real close, her lips brushing my ear. And whispers, "I don't need you anymore." Chloe moves her hand from my cheek to my chest.

And pushes me off the cliff.

-

I flinch awake, smacking my forehead against the chilly glass of the window. I slowly shuffle over in my seat to see Chloe My head is cloudy and my mouth tastes horrible, what ever garbage Chloe listens to is playing on the stereo, a cigarette loosely dangling from her lips. Chloe's jacket is used as a blanket for me, making her tattoo lie in perfect sight, I smile at the blue butterflies wrapped in red ribbons. She's normal again, she doesn't wear that twisted smirk...

"She lives." Chloe comments, stopping at a red light. "I thought you would sleep forever, Sleeping Beauty." I sit up in my seat, but immediately regret it. My muscles scream at me. That's what I get for sleeping in a curled position... I grunt. "Funny" I reply, my voice is scratchy, and my throat dry. I cough.

"So, I have no idea where I'm going." She says, turning the music off. "Oh." I wipe my eyes, looking out the window for street signs , or any indication of where we may be. Five years in this place and my knowledge is sometimes limited.

I catch the name of a street and my internal GPS instantly turns on. "We aren't far off. Keep straight." Chloe nods and steps on the gas, "aye, aye, Capitain."

I silently roll my eyes, but don't respond. I'm not in the mood for jokes. That seemed to distress Chloe, as she tightens her grip on the wheel. At the amount of times she's done that, I'm surprised she hasn't split the wheel in half. I hate seeing her in a further state of panic than me. She's the older one, the tougher one. She's supposed to be stronger.

"Left, _left_." I call, shaking my head out. These Seattle roads remind me of a bad, but also great time of my life. Living in Seattle helped me peruse my love of photography, I made friends and spent time with my family. The city was alive, people on the streets, cars humming and roaring. It was never silent in Seattle.

It was hard to sleep for the first while, in Arcadia the streets were dead by 9:30. Everyone was inside for the night, the only sound was the waves. Or Chloe's lapping breaths when we had sleepovers. I sighed. Chloe twitched at the sound, but never kept her eyes on the road as we cruised to my parent's place, my place.

_'That's right, your place. Your safe haven away from your friends.'_

What was that? Chloe? I looked over at her, she quietly drove.

_'No dumbass. I'm in your mind, I'm the real Chloe.'_

Very funny, shut up.

_'Now don't be so rude, Maxine.'_

I try to claw her voice out of my mind. Why, why her? I would understand if some, like, Other Max was in my mind. Taunting me. But Chloe? I don't get it.

_'Of course you don't, Max'_

_'Max_ '

 _'Max_ '

"Max! Hey!" Chloe shouts. I come to.

"Do I turn here?" She asks, I blink at the street sign. "Yeah, yeah. Second house on the left." Chloe turns into the street, stopping in front of my Seattle residence. Seeing it makes my stomach do backflips, not in the good way. I rub my face.

"Yo Maximum Rewind." Chloe says, flicking the ignition off. "You feeling okay?" I glance over at her, she seems exhausted, her eyes swollen and bagged, skin paler than normal. "Yep, feeling fine." I answer, pulling together some sort of human-ish looking smile. She's been through enough, I don't need to damper her further by piling my problems on her shoulders. She seems satisfied.

I pull open the door to the truck and slip myself from the seat. Chloe does the same, slamming the door behind her. The car groans in response. I stare at the front door of the house, I wonder if my parents left my room the same? They probably did.

A sudden pressure forms on my hand as Chloe links her fingers with mine, squeezing lightly. I know she has my back. My palms sweat as we walk to the door in silence, no bags or luggage. Just her and I and the clothes on our backs. My heart swells, I look at my best friend, pale and destraught. But here. She is officially the only person that I have left. I can't lose her, I've forgotten our silly fight. All we have is each other. We can't fight. I won't fight with the only other person left in the world. I look back at the door.

Time to live at the Caulfield's.


	4. Broken

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Nothing last forever. Everything changes.  
> The only thing that never changes? Is change itself" - my social teacher 5 minutes ago

Max

I feel as if my head is being crushed between a rock and a hard place.

My vision is bubbling at the corners, like film being melted away by fire. Fire, I feel like I'm on fire. I can't focus on the dinner table around me, mom says something, Chloe responds dryly. But no words, no words. The only thing stuck in my head are my dads words before we sat down for dinner.

" _We heard about the storm. Aren't you two lucky to have escaped that?"_

Lucky? Guilty.

My stomach churns, my head thrashes. Just as I begun to calm down it all starts again, this fury of guilt. I killed. I murdered people, so many people. And just after I had told Warren I would do the right thing... I lied to him. Something touches my shoulder, tearing me into reality. "Max?" Chloe softly says, rubbing my shoulder.

I look around the table, all festivities have stopped. My parents' eyes on me. Did I do anything wrong?

 _You already know the answer to that one._ The Chloe voice speaks in my mind. _Don't make me remind you_. I shake my head. Not real. Not real. "Hey, answer me huh?" The real Chloe says, shaking my shoulder. "Hm?" I hum, Turing to look at her. Her eyes are still droopy, and shot with worry. "Stop freaking me out like that."

I shake my head, "sorry. Head hurts." My fingernails bite into the back of my neck, it suddenly feels itchy. Chloe stares at me, I'm not sure she totally buys into my cover up, but she nods anyway. "You should lie down, you can finish dinner later." Without a word she tugs me up.

"I'm fine Chloe, really." I look at her. She stares back. She opens her mouth to speak. But mom interrupts her. "Your room is made and ready, Maxine." She smiles warmly, "you two have had a long day." My mothers smile always got to me. I nod silently. "Thank you guys, I'll talk more tomorrow." I feel bad, really. I should talk to them more, rekindle with my parents, after almost dying in a freak storm.

Well, not _that_ freak.

But my head feels like it's being crushed, my nose is ready to bleed. I guess I shouldn't resist. I nod and allow Chloe to drag me upstairs, "first door to the left." I mumble ans she pulls me by the wrist into my room. I slop down onto the bed as she shuts this door. My head rush subsiding slowly.

I feel the bed cave as Chloe sits beside me, placing her hand on y shoulder. "You okay, Max?" I subconsciously lean into her touch. She rubs my clavicle carefully with her thumb, the gesture is soothing. I close my eyes and try to pretend we are back in Arcadia. I let out a sharp breath from my nose, remembering Chloe asked me a question.

"I'll be fine." Chloe gives me a look. "Really," I say. Placing my hand on top of hers, she flinches. I'm not sure why, it's not important now. "It'll take a long time to heal, what happened was... was..."

"Traumatic." Chloe continues for me, not quite the word I wanted to use, but it fit enough. I nod. "And I caused it, I..." My voice cracks, Chloe presses her hand harder on my shoulder. "Max, no it's okay. You helped me, you saved my life-" She starts.

"But I ended others, so many others, Chloe." My voice comes out a pathetic whine, my mind sinks back into the hole I dug myself in Chloe's car. I can't escape this, what I've done. I killed. My actions directly led to the death of many people. I'm a murderer. there were so many people that lived in that town, some that I didn't even know. They didn't deserve a teenager like me to dictate their lives. I'm a power hungry child who twisted time around her fingers so much she ripped a hole in the world.

Other people had to pay for my insolence, tears welled up behind my eyes, but I forced them back. Something told me that I'll have to be doing that more often starting now. Chloe put her other hand on my cheek. I barely felt it. "Stella, Dana, Samuel, Victoria, David, Joyce." I choke. "Kate."

My friend, my first girl crush. The girl I tried so hard to help from _killing herself_. And all for what? Just to stab her in the back? Small trembles shook my body, I was holding back sobs. I guess these past few hours I was pre occupied with adrenaline and getting out of dodge that I never got to really think about what I did. Chloe pulled me in close, and I let her. I press my face into her neck, and let out a sob.

"Shh." Chloe soothes, moving her hands to my back, slowly and deliberately rubbing my back. I find it oddly comforting. I wrap my arms around her and pull her closer, she smells like smoke and soap and I never want to smell anything else ever again. I let loose another pitiful sob into the skin of Chloe's shoulder. I let my nails claw at Chloe's jacket, she lets me.

Chloe is my best friend, the only person  I have left. The only person who's opinion matters to me I sob into her skin. And she holds me close, her body a cage of flesh and bone. She protects me from the world, from everyone, from myself.

\---

After I've calmed, Chloe and I settle for the night, I drink up everything around me. Chloe lays beside me in my bed, we're wearing my pajamas-they're hilariously small on her, the shirt cuts short, showing her belly button. She somehow didn't find it as funny as I did when I first saw it-our heads touch, neither of us talk. We listen to each other's breathing, just as we did when we were kids.

Her eyes are lightly shut, lips parted. Chloe looks so peaceful, she always has, I don't know how she does it. My heart suddenly swells at the choice I've made, if I hadn't have torn that photo. I would have lost my friend, my partner in crime. Each exhale causes a tuft of her hair to flicker, I smile at her. My eyes slowly flutter closed.

But I don't sleep.


	5. Maxaroni and Cheese

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "If you're still breathing. Than you are the lucky one.  
> 'Cause most of us are heaving through corrupted lungs" -Daughter, Youth

Chloe

The sweet and salty smell of bacon pulled Chloe from her sleep. She felt dizzy and disoriented, sun shined through the windows. The small digital clock next to her head read 12:30 pm. She had slept almost a day. The smaller girl still lie asleep beside her, mouth slightly ajar, saliva coating her lips.

Sitting up against the wall, Chloe rubbed her eyes. The smell of bacon probed her nostrils, but the house had been quiet. So quiet she could hear her own stomach grumbling. Chloe saw breakfast in her near future. She slowly slid out of the sheets, being careful not to wake Max. And carefully descended the stairs, which led directly into the kitchen. Chloe licked her lips in anticipation for food.

Two plates split equally with bacon and eggs sat on the kitchen counter, a single note sat between them:

_Max & Chloe_

_We know you've had a hard few days, go ahead and relax with some breakfast (if it's cold, heat it on the stove!) feel no obligation to do much of anything, we just want you to unwind and take these next few days carefully. We are aware that you two had to leave all of your belongings behind, so we left some money incase you wanted to get some new ones. Take care and please stay out of the booze cabinet!_

_Melissa & Ryan Caulfield_

They had left a note. How cute. Chloe sifted through the envelope below the note. The Caulfield's had left two hundred and fifty dollars! Damn, these two had bank! As Chloe looked at the was of cash, Chloe had half a mind to stuff it away and crumple not note. But she wasn't that fucking selfish anymore, she dropped the envelope down and took both plates of breakfast.

After setting up both plates and coffee on the table, Chloe went upstairs to wake Max. The stubborn girl first refused to leave the bed. But after gentle coaxing-and not so gentle roughhousing-Max finally got out of bed. The two girls sat at the table. "So." Chloe started. "Your folks left cash, we should hit stores today and get some better clothes." Chloe looked down at the borrowed clothes from Max. Her stomach was showing.

"Awe. You don't like my wardrobe?" Max sighed with mock offence, scooping scrambled egg into her mouth. Chloe couldn't help but attentively watch. Her mind wandered as she watched the smaller girl. Max chewed her food tightly, as if it was a very serious task, her jaw was tight and attentive. Her eyes were pink and lightly swollen from sleep-or crying-Chloe nearly got lost in the deep blue of her irises.

"Hey, don't ignore me. Price." Max snapped, bringing Chloe's mind back to her body. She looked at Max and shook her head loosely, as if to wake up her snoozing brain. "I, uh. I'm listening." Max frowned, slowly removing the spook from her mouth, Chloe shivered. "No you weren't, you never fucking listen." Max grumbled, then cleared her throat. Chloe felt tightly offended, she opened her mouth to defend but nothing came out. Max continued as if she had never said anything. "When are we headed out to the store?"

Chloe shoved the last strip of her bacon in her mouth, then wiped her lips on her wrist. "Affer breakfast." She mumbled through the bacon in her mouth, Max nodded quietly and sipped the rest of her coffee. Chloe's mind swam when Max liked coffee that had dripped onto her lips.

Chloe blinked rapidly, what was wrong with her? This past week she had found Max so enticing, more than anyone, more than Rachel had ever been. She remembered asking Max to kiss her on the Wednesday morning after the Blackwell break-in. How she had made it seem like a spur of the moment, nonchalant dare. It wasn't.

Chloe had spend the whole night trying to find a way to kiss Max. She was too chicken shit to do it by herself, and have to avoid the consequences, and Max's questions. And she knew she couldn't seduce Max into kisses her, because Max was too chicken shit to do that. The dare was carefully planned out, all she needed was somehow the perfect moment for a dare to present itself. Luckily it did.

She was falling for Max, hard. She knew that now, but it didn't make it any easier. Chloe knew that's why she had felt happy about Max's choice to save her rather than the town. Maybe Max felt the same. She didn't get her hopes up on that.

With the dishes put in the sink and cash wad pocketed. Chloe snatched her keys from the bedroom. "Do you have any other clothes?" She asked Max. Trying to push the fabric down past her belly button. Not that Chloe had any problems with showing a little skin, but other clothes made it look intentional. Max's shirts made it look clumsy and accidental. "No, that's all I have. But you can borrow my nightshirt." Max offered, going to a drawer and digging into it. She produced a large-and heavily unfashionable-shirt from it.

The shirt was plain and ratty, it looked like it would fit David Madsen before it would fit Chloe. She wrinkled her nose at it. "No way in hell." She spat, shaking her head at the grotesque shirt. Max shrugged, "well. Then would you rather my winter jacket?" She asked, taking a big puffy coat from its hangar. The fabric of the coat was an almost blinding shade of pink. Chloe sighed. "Gimme the damn shirt."

After slipping on the shirt (fucking thing was huge) Chloe led Max out to the rickety old truck waiting outside them. Chloe had to fight to get the door open, then the two climbed in. "Why don't you get rid of this piece of shit and get a new truck?" Max asked. "You know, one that actually works?" She finished, earring a scoff from Chloe at her sass. But this wasn't the first time Chloe has been asked that question, "this truck means too much to me." She answered simply. Slipping the keys info the ignition.

"I found this old fucker at the junkyard. It was hella messed up, but all I had. My only escape from the house, and Step-Mistake. I went through great lengths to get it going. And it's stuck with me ever since." Chloe ran a careful hand over the dash, collecting a film of dust on her finger. Then she set the truck in motion. "Plus, I'm broke." The comment earned a chuckle from Max, who pierced her temple on the cool glass window. Chloe stared before she remembers she had to be looking at the road.

Max clumsily directed Chloe to the Wal-Mart downtown, they had some money. But not enough to shop at mall stores, cheap Wal-Mart outfits would have to do for now. Chloe did a half-ass job parking the shitmobile in the parking lot then followed Max inside the big store, grabbing a cart to ride on. Max rolled her eyes.

Chloe rode the cart down to the girls' clothing section, jumping off at the last minute and watched it crash into the rack of clothes. "Chloe!" Max chastised, removing the cart and placing it carefully beside them, Chloe only smirked. "It's not fun until something is broken, Max." Chloe said stoically, beginning to flit through the racks of clothing. Max shook her head, "what kind of parties do you go to?" She responded, staring disbelievingly at Chloe.

The older girl continued to look at the clothes, without turning to Max, she said. "Real ones." The photographer grunted in defeat and joined Chloe in the search for decent clothes. Chloe carelessly tosses a plain black shirt into the dark behind her, Max stared at it. "You didn't even try it on." Chloe shrugged, "this is only temporary, Caulfield. We don't need it to be perfect." She saw a pair on jeans and snuck a peek at the tag before tosses them into the cart. "I mean, I don't worry about looking like a hipster for a little while. You do it every day, what's the harm?" Chloe had intended it as a joke, but Max didn't find it funny. She mentally kicked herself.

Max sighed and stood up straight, a verity of shirts and pants sling over her arm. "Well, I'm going to try these on. Brb" she said (yes, even the brb part) and wandered over to the change rooms, snatching a few cheap bras in the way there. Chloe watched her in admiration. She continued to absently pick through the clothes, but all she should think of was Max. Her best friend, her partner in time. Her girl crush.

She knew it, Chloe already knew that she had feelings for her best friend. It kind of scared her. What if she acted on these feelings, and Max didn't feel the same way and it broke them apart? Or what if they dated, but it rough and they broke up? Chloe couldn't loose Max, she was the only person Chloe had left.

No, that had to be wrong. Her mother was alive. Joyce was alive, right?

Right?

Then why hadn't she received a single phone call from her mother? It had been at least a day since the incident. Sure,y her mom would have called her by now. She was loosing hope. "Chloe!" Max suddenly called form the change rooms. Chloe clenched her shaking first and responded, "yeah?" As she walked over to Max's room. "My bra is stuck." Max complained. "I need you to help." Chloe couldn't believe her ears. She stood silent for a moment.

"Come on." Max pleaded through the door. "You're the only one here who's actually seen me in a bra before. It'll only take a second, come on." It took plenty of self motivation, but Chloe finally agreed. Letting Max open the door for her. Chloe stepped in and was met with Max Caulfield's back. (The change room definitely was not meant for more than one person. The small area felt even more cramped with both girls standing in it at once, Chloe tried to focus on the task at hand) The younger girl was turned away from her, freckles covered her back. Chloe suddenly felt the urge to sit down and play connect-the-dots with them. She shook the idea from her mind.

Chloe focused on the tangled and fucked up strap of the bra. "Make sure it doesn't fall off." She warned Max, then stepped closer. The punk's fingers brushed against the bare skin of Max's back. She shivered, despite the burning hot of Max's skin. Chloe wrestled with the strap until it had fixed. She triumphantly stepped back and let Max snap the clasp into place. "Thanks, Chloe." Max rubbed her own shoulder, still facing away from the older girl. Good thing too. Chloe felt hot everywhere. No doubt her face was deep Crimson from blood. Neither girls spoke, they settled into a very awkward silence, Max turned defensively away.

"I'll let you finish changing." Chloe awkwardly said, breaking the silence between the two girls. She slipped from the tiny change room and sat on a small metal bench outside the changing room area and waited for Max. Her fingers were cold where they longed to press against the heat of Max's bare skin. Just thinking about it again made her abdomen tighten.

Max went in and out of the rooms, asking Chloe her opinion on each and every outfit she could mix and match with the abundance of clothes she had snagged. Through on this hormonal high, Chloe would say yes to everything. She allowed her mind to wander dreamily in between each Max Caulfield showcase. Once they had finished, Chloe unceremoniously dumped all the clothes into the shopping cart, and they continued on.

"Food." Chloe suddenly claimed, her feet resting on the bar connecting the two back legs on the cart. Occasionally using her other to push it along, just like a skateboard. "We have enough at home." Max sighed, but Chloe just shook her head and tisked. Tisked! "But there are some select foods that I would like to have at your parents residence." Chloe proclaimed, busting out her smart-ass vocabulary to prove her point. She shot off into an isle with the cart. Max begrudgingly followed.

Chloe carelessly tossed food in the cart, Max followed. "are you actually actually gong to eat all this?" She asked, examining the cart as Chloe tossed in a bag of Goldfish. Chloe ignored the question and pretended as if she hadn't heard it as she shot down the isle. "Oh!" She shouted, darting to one of the shelves and snatched a box of Kraft Dinner. "Look! It's Max-aroni and Cheese!" Chloe shouted excitedly. The smaller girl couldn't help it, she laughed. "What?" She managed to sputter through her laughing fits. Chloe felt a surge of triumphance, she had finally made Max laugh. She had been working her as off since they left Arcadia Bay to cheer her up, it finally worked, she had to keep it going.

"You know, Maxaroni and Cheese? My favorite snack." By now, Max's laughter had dissolved into a fit of snorts and giggles. It was so damn cute that Chloe's cheeks began to heat up. She tossed a few boxes of Kraft into the cart and the two carried on. They had collected enough food for a feast by the time they had finished. Chloe seemed pleased with herself.

"Awe, look at this." Chloe remarked on their way to the checkout section. It was a small plushie, a Charmander, from the Pokemon games. Chloe smirked and held it close to her face as she looked at Max. "Isn't it the cutest thing in the world?" She cooed, snuggling the doll close to her cheek. Max merely sighed, unimpressed. "No, Chloe." Max shook her head. "We have enough as it is. Put it down."

The doll had a sort of charm to it. Slightly ratty and deformed, exactly how Max had looked in that moment, her hair disheveled, eyes sorely red, skin pale, with the cut above her eyebrow still reddish brown. Chloe's heart tugged at the sight. She pouted her lips outward, looking at Max longingly. "Awe, please." She begged, giving the best pouty face she could muster. Max squeezed the bridge of her nose between her fingers. "Yeah yeah, fine." She sighed out, warranting a happy sound from Chloe as she dropped it in their shopping cart.

The money Max's parents gave them just sufficed to pay for the glorious amount of food and clothes both girls had shoveled into their shopping cart. Chloe knew they probably looked crazy. Two disheveled girls using a big wad of cash to buy an assortment of random foods and cheap-ass clothes, she smirked at the idea of that. She remembered doing it with Rachel a lot...

The cashier gave them a wary look as she scanned the variety of items. That made Chloe's smirk increase tenfold. She slapped the bills on the counter in front of her as she loaded up many bags of their groceries. Taking off with Max.

Both girls had troubles fitting the bags into the shitmobile. After some trying they managed to squish everyone inside, they hiccuped home in the ratty old car.

Max helped sort groceries as soon as they arrived as Casa Del Caulfield. Chloe shoved things into drawers and threw clothes onto Max's bed, meanwhile, Max was being careful and thorough as she put today's findings away. Chloe waited for her to arrive back up in the bedroom, where she stuck the Pokemon doll in between the two pillows. "I'm letting him sleep" She explained as Max gave her a bizarre look. Max just nodded as if it was the most sane thing Chloe could have said.

"I'm going to shower." Max claimed, as she grabbed some of her newly picked clothes. And the blueberry shampoo that Chloe insisted they buy. Chloe sat at the edge of the bed. "I'll be right after you, Super Max." She smirked at the smaller girl, who vanished into the hallway without another word.

Chloe collapsed down onto the bed with an exhausted sigh. She felt Max trying to distance herself from everyone. Chloe knew exactly how she left. She knew Max felt dangerous, Max was feeling scared and traumatized. Chloe couldn't say she blamed her, Max had been through one hell of a week. First discovering she could rewind time, then saving Chloe's ungrateful ass. Then she saved her bullied friend from killing herself, solved the mystery of the missing girl, got kidnapped and mentally tortured by a psychopath.

But there she was, still standing on her own two feet, like a damn hero. Max was the strongest person Chloe had ever met, she was resilient and strong. No matter what had happened, Max still stood, she may be cracked, she may be broken. But she still stood. Max wouldn't stop standing, not until everything was right. Max would always make sure that everyone around her was okay before she even cared about herself, her selflessness was unquestionable. Chloe didn't deserve a girl anywhere near as amazing at Max. But yet, she had chosen to kill a town full of people, just for Chloe. She only wished she could be a better friend in return.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I played Before The Storm Episode 2 and. Shit it's gay. The next chapter will most likely have some events from it


	6. Dark Room

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Welp. Here you go

Max

"Thank you for the dinner, Melissa." Chloe says, as she sets her dishes carefully in the dishwasher. Every part of that almost makes me laugh because of how un-Chloe like it is. I'm glad that Chloe is trying to impress my parents, it shows a level of care I haven't seen in her since we reunited this week. Damn, has it only been a week since I discovered I had time powers? It feels longer...

So has this day. After the store Chloe and I kind of did nothing, Chloe shuffled through the channels on the TV. And I was the one who was in change of putting the shit we bought away. Then Chloe fell asleep on the chair, and I cleaned the house to keep my mind from wandering back to the storm.

I sit back in my chair and watch Chloe help my dad clean the kitchen. It's so unnatural and not like _this_ Chloe. I keep seeing the old (or is it the young?) Chloe as she pours too much dish soap into the rapidly filling sink. When she was so full of light and happiness-and pirate filled escapades-her strawberry blonde hair ticking her shoulders, clean skin, no ink or calloused scars. That was before she was destroyed, killed by the Chloe that stands in her place. A ghost of a memory.

"She sure has changed, hasn't she?" Mom whispers to me, as we watch dad and Chloe try to tame the mountain of bubbles in the sink that Chloe created earlier. "Yeah... William's accident really did a number to her." I say distractedly, not taking my eyes on how Chloe's tattoo accommodates the flexing of her muscles.

  _Don't forget that you fucked me over, too_. The Chloe voice mocks, sending a jolt of pain to my temples. _Go away._ I rebuttal, pressing a light finger to my temple. _I can't. I'm apart of you, dumbass_. She hisses back. Another ripple of pain in my skull has me struggling to muffle a sound of pain.

The voice fades as I say goodnight to my parents, watching them walk up the stairs. Chloe hags up a dish cloth on the handle of the kitchen stove and comes over to sit on top of the table. She wears a wide smirk and the typical 'let's do some more crazy shit,' which is her basic setting nowadays. "What's the word, Maximus?" I sigh and sit back in my chair. What is the word? I fucking destroyed an entire town full of people, killed them all, then fled to my second home in Seattle with the girl who I _literally_ killed for, I feel lost. "I don't know anymore, Chloe." 

Her eyes soften, the cocky look from her face fading into a sorrowful concern. "I didn't expect that answer." She slides off the table and takes a seat beside me. Her glace lands towards carefully towards the staircase-to ensure that my parents aren't here anymore, most likely-then she takes my hand in hers and gives an easy squeeze. "You did what you had to do. That doesn't make you a bad person." she sighs out.

Something swirls in my gut. "Then why do I feel poisonous?" I ask quietly. Chloe pulls me in close, her arms wrap around my neck, chin resting on my shoulder. And I let her. Because for a second it feels good. I shouldn't continue to let her. I don't deserve the love and friendship of anyone, especially not after I committed mass genocide. But it feels so good. "Max." Chloe finally says, I can feel the vibration of her windpipe against my clavicle. "You aren't poison. You are the purest person I know. Okay?" Her words are half muffled by the fabric of my clothes.

I am sick of Chloe being so accommodating to me. She should be mad, she should hate me for what I've done. How I fucking left her for Seattle. She's so clueless, doesn't she know what she's made me do? She made me kill. She was why Arcadia is destroyed. Chloe pulled me in, took me on adventures, called me her best friend, and she dared me to kiss her in her bedroom. Then I had to choose between her and others. And I stupidly chose her. Heat builds in my body, I have to prove that she doesn't care about me. She only cares about my power.

"What about Rachel?" I deflect. Watching Chloe sigh and pull away from my skin. She drags her palm against her face. "That's not fair." She groans. I stand sharply, I'll always be second to Rachel, I _knew_ it. "Max." Chloe tries to jump up in surprise, but fails on her first try. "Come on, that's not _fair_." She follows me to the living room. I turn sharply, "what is, Chloe?" I feel the heat of anger slowly leak away as Chloe stares at me with eyes that look on the brink of tears.

"I fucked up Chloe." I admit. "I...I..." I feel like blubber, I can't talk. This has been bottled up too long... Chloe sighs. "You've been through a lot this past week, Max." She touches my shoulder again. But this time, I let her. "But fuck, you're still standing." Chloe flicks her tongue along her bottom lip, the movement mesmerizes me.

 "You are so strong, Max. I mean... You discovered you could rewind time, you helped your friend from committing suicide, you watched me die over, and over. Then..." She pauses for a moment, "then you endured what that psychopath did to you." I flinch involuntarily. I never really did talk to Chloe about what happened in the Dark Room, did I? Probably for the best anyway...

"Shit, I'm sorry Max." Chloe sighs, pushing on the inside of her cheek with her tongue. A habit I've seen her getting into more recently. "I haven't really told anyone about it, except Warren." When I told him I would do the right thing, then murdered him. "I just didn't know how to tell anyone." I look at Chloe, who is laid back on the couch, she looks so effortless all the time, how the hell can she do it? "I guess I should tell someone about it, before the bottled up memories drive me insane, huh?" Chloe chuckles sourly, "only if you want to, Max."

"You deserve to know what happened to Rachel." I sigh heavily, that makes Chloe seal her lips. She's all ears now. I try to pull all of the memories I can from the drug induced haze of the Dark Room. "I don't remember what happened much after Jefferson... When he... Shot you in the junkyard." Chloe gulps visibly, that's when she died, for more than 20 seconds. She was dead for several hours. And she doesn't even remember what happened. She's the only human being on earth who actually blurred the line between life and death for more than an hour. (Technically, she also didn't die at the same time) I can't help but wonder what happened when she died. What life after death is like. The thought scares me as well as thrills me.

"Cameras, he always had cameras in my face." I close my eyes, "He bound my limbs with duct tape. I had regular doses of meds to keep me unconscious." I could suddenly feel it again, the tight bounds of duct tape as it stuck my wrists uselessly together, and the gross sloppy feeling of the drugs as they traveled through my blood. I resist the urge to jerk as the ghost of needle pierces my skin.

"He talked about why he did it. That unconscious models are the best ones and how his 'subjects' are innocent girls who he turns corrupt." I pause for a moment, not sure how to tell Chloe about Rachel. "Rachel died accidentally, Nathan-" Chloe shoots up, a rush of fury. "Prescott? That punkass killed Rachel?" She fumes. I start to scramble. "It... It was an accident. Jefferson was manipulating him, and he didn't know what he was doing." Chloe puts up a hand to stop me, her rage built up to the point where she was dead quiet. "Max, I know you always want to see the best of people, but stop. Nathan Prescott is a killer."

I try to talk, but nothing comes out. Chloe doesn't understand, she never understands. Suddenly Chloe's phone goes off, she leaps at it was the speed of a cheetah. Chloe stares silently at the caller ID, her face in shock. I lean in slowly and look at the caller ID.

_StepDouche._


	7. Stepdouche

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As some people may know, November is National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) the goal is to write a whole novel in one month, but my goal is 50k words (since I'm not a fast writer) So starting tomorrow I will partake in that challenge. I'm going to be using that challenge mainly on my Amberprice fic so I can get it published. I won't be stopping the publication of this book, but updates may be a little wonky or infrequent while this event takes place, just so I can mainly focus on that novel. Starting December 1st updates will go back to regular. Now that's out of the way, enjoy the chapter!
> 
> Ps: Happy Halloween I guess? I don't really celebrate the holiday but for those who do. Have fun and stay safe if you're going out.

Chloe

"Hello?" Chloe answered the ringing phone weakly. She didn't know what to expect. Would it be her mother? Or did David have some news about what's going on in Arcadia? "Chloe, thank god." Stepdouche's wobbly voice spoke into her ear. Chloe was caught momentarily off guard. David was happy to hear from her? Maybe what Max said about him caring for her was true...

"I tried callin' ya a few times but no one picked up. I got afraid..." He trailed off and Chloe reminded silent, she had no idea what to say. What _could_ she say to a guy she hates, but who loves her? She couldn't. "Chloe?" He asked quietly, "you still there?"

"Yes." Chloe croaked, clearing her throat as Max gave her a concerned look from the couch. "I'm still here." She affirmed. "What's going on David?" She imagined him to say the worst he possibly could, that everyone was dead, the whole city was in flames, that Joyce was gone. "It's bad, Chloe." He sighs, sounding purely stressed. It creates a heavy knot in Chloe's stomach. "W... Well how are you alive?" She asked.

"You guys were right, the Blackwell art teacher was up to some shady shit. We caught him in an underground bunker full of sick shit." Chloe knew Max has heard what he said, because she flinched over on the couch, Chloe tried to ignore it. "Anyway, we were down there and saw the storm comin'. We stayed down to let it pass. Thank god." He groaned, sounded like he was in a lot of pain, Chloe wanted to feel happy that stepfucker was in pain. She just couldn't.

"And uh." Chloe paused, she almost didn't want to ask the question, but she had to. "Where's my mom?" She started panicking when David didn't answer for several beats, so did Max. "Chloe." David's voice sounded broken, like it completely gave up on talking. Chloe's guts twisted. "That's why I called you, Chloe. Your mother... She..." David had begun, but Chloe already knew what she was going to say. Her body let loose a tremor she hadn't been aware that she was holding back.

"She didn't make it, Chloe. The Two Whales collapsed while she was in it-" his voice broke off. Chloe was going to be sick. "I'm so sorry, Chloe." David sobbed out. By now, Max knew what was happening. She was off the couch and at Chloe's side in second, Palm between shoulder blades, rubbing soothingly. Chloe vaguely felt herself go limp, the phone smacked against the carpet floor.

She slowly sat down, her breaths ragged while she heard Max pick up the fallen cellphone. Chloe should have cried, but she couldn't. She stared at the floor as Max spoke to David behind her. Chloe felt a tremor ripple through her shoulders. Not Joyce... First her father, then Joyce. What had she done to piss off the world? Why did it always want her dead? What she did she do to make it so mad? A ripple of pure anger washed over her with a tide so strong she slammed her knuckles on the floor before her.

Fuck that hurt, but she didn't care. She couldn't care anymore. Her mother was dead. Chloe immediately thought back to every time she fought with Joyce, every time she didn't come home at night because she was partying with Rachel, or smoking out. Doing anything to upset her mother. When was the last time she told Joyce that she loved her? She couldn't remember. Well, she'll never be able to now.

The thought made Chloe sick, she jolted from the floor and scrambled to the kitchen, emptying her bowels into the sink. Chloe heard the brunette exclaim from the living room, coming over and laying a gentle hand on Chloe's back again. She leaned into Max's gentle touch subconsciously as she continued to empty her stomach into the sink, gags came from her throat in between heaves of vomit, she couldn't breathe.

Max ran a loving palm over the skin of Chloe's back. The blue haired girl leaned into the touch as she panted and fought to regain her breath. She looked back at Max, a string of spittle-mixed with vomit-connected her lips to the sink. Max sighed and grabbed a paper towel, carefully wiping Chloe lips. "Come on," she sighed out. "Let's clean you up."

Chloe whined, but she didn't speak. She felt like her vocal chords were broken, she lat Max take her to the table and sit her down carefully. She surrendered to Max's careful hands, letting the smaller girl use paper towels soaked in warm water to wipe her face, and some of the clothes. Which had been in the splash zone of vomit.

The punk started to relax under Max's hot skin. Watching mesmerized as the smaller girl bit her lip in thought as she helped clean Chloe up. She watched as Max chewed on her lip, rolling it between her teeth. Chloe suddenly desperately wanted to replace Max's teeth with her own. Max threw away the last of the paper towel and set beside Chloe. Her chest heaving as she landed on the couch.

"Chloe, I'm sorry." She apologized slowly. Chloe didn't say anything for a while, she tried to wake her vocal chords up. "For what?" She finally responded, just barely above a whisper. Her voice sounded so broken that she wanted to smack herself for it. Max slowly moved her hand up to Chloe's. Slowly caressing it with her thumb. Chloe felt herself heat from the gesture. Grabbing max's hand and squeezing it tightly.

"I talked to David." Max said quietly, holding Chloe's hand firmly. "He said the survivors were gathered outside the Hospital. Not everyone died, Chloe." Chloe didn't care. Her mother was dead, she was the last decent person left in that town, all the others didn't matter, not to her. "I think we should go back, to help. I... I mean we did cause this-"

Chloe shook her head. "I don't want to go back." She murmured. Why did Max want to go back? Last Chloe remembered, Max left that place completely emotionally and physically distraught. She watched as Max slowly picked at the scab above her eyebrow, they may need to get stitches for that cut, if Max kept picking at it. "Chloe." She sighed, "we caused that storm. It was us that did that to the town." She reasoned, worrying further at her scab. "We at least owe it to them to go back and help." Owed it to them? The girls owed the town? No fucking way.

Chloe sat up, and opened her mouth. Ready to refute, when she looked at Max. The smaller girl looked desperate, her eyes half lidded, bloodshot. Looking at her best friend like this broke her heart. As much as she couldn't stand to go back to that town, she hated seeing Max like that more.

"Fine," she sighed, voice uneven and broken. "We leave tomorrow. And no staying overnight." She laid down the rules while Max nodded. "For sure. Definitely." She leaned in and held Chloe in a tight embrace. "Thank you Chloe." She whispered into the girl's ear.


	8. Arcadia Baby Hospital

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ha. Guess what? I actually made a chapter! It was supposed to be longer but I decided to split it into two chapters so I could actually get one published this week. So have fun.
> 
> It’s unedited so there’s may be errors

Chloe

Max hadn't spoken in 3 hours. It worried the hell out of Chloe. The two girls were on the highway again, back to the place they destroyed. Chloe's chest tightened. She glanced sparingly at Max, who had been blankly staring out the window for the past several hours. Chloe knew it would be hard on the smaller girl to go back there, but she had pleaded so much that Chloe couldn't refute. Plus, Chloe had things she had to do back in Arcadia... Funerals to plan.

She hated thinking it. But Rachel never had a proper funeral. And her mom...

She would make it all happen, as much as she hated admitting it. David deserved for Joyce to have a good funeral as much as she did. And as much as Chloe did, for that matter. The rising sun started to burn Chloe's eyes, she flicked down a sun visor she had personally installed in the car and continued to drive. This truck meant a big deal to her, all the markings and vandalism were what made the behemoth hers. Chloe fondly remembered the day she first found the truck and tried to fix it up. It was the same day her and Rachel kissed for the first time...

She tightened her grip on the worn steering wheel cover as the memory turned over in her head. After dark, underneath the light of streetlamps, the falling ash of the forest fire burning behind them fell on their shoulders. Chloe's heart ached at the memories, when everything between her and Rachel was new and perfect.

"Max." Chloe commanded to the younger girl, who only showed she was listening with a small shoulder shrug. "Arcadia in the next thirty." She stated, watching a mile marker they passed. "You sure he's in the hospital?" Chloe didn't like the idea of them taking in Warren Graham, but he was Max's close friend, and Chloe really didn't want to do anything to upset Max after what she had been through, so she silent put her head down at did what she was asked. Max gave a slow nod and scratched at her throat, fidgeting with the skin over her thyroid, she seemed to be stressed. Chloe didn't want to push it on her.

The bitter morning air started to fade as the two reached the town. Max had her face in her sleeve the whole ride to the hospital, Chloe didn't blame her. The town was a wreck, every building torn to massive shreds, sewn all about. There were survivors all over the place, managing the debris. Chloe swallowed as she watched some survivors scoop up dead bodies. Many of them looked at the truck, awestruck that anyone would want to be here after a disaster like this. Chloe didn't think she recognized any of the survivors, or bodies.

Max didn't remove her face from her sleeves the entire ride. Curled in on herself like a sad child, face buried deep within her arms. Chloe tried to ignore the small tremors that shook her shoulders occasionally.

The hospital was buzzing with people when the girls arrived. It must have been full of patients, since some lined the walls outside, wrapped in blankets with blood and cuts covering their bodies. Chloe fought to keep bile in her stomach. She leaned over to the brunette and touched a trembling shoulder with a ghost of a touch. Max flinched and her head shot up, face flushed and swollen from tears no doubt. Chloe heart ached.

"Maxie. We're here." Chloe tried to use Max's old childhood nickname to cheer the smaller girl up. It didn't seem to work. "You look for Graham." Chloe started a game plan, rubbing her thumb over Max's shoulder carelessly. "And I'll go to step-fucker." Chloe really didn't want to talk to David, but it was the only thing that would get her more info about her mom, so she felt she had no choice. Max gave a short nod, and Chloe moved her hand away.

Opening the car door abruptly, Chloe stepped out and shivered at the October chill. It was a lot less noticeable in Seattle. Max didn't seem to mind however-probably because she was wearing Chloe's jacket-and climbed out of the old truck unphased. Her hair flickered in the wind and brushed her shoulders, something Chloe missed about her hair. She had liked it when it was long, the weight of it on her back, the way it gently brushed her shoulders so she knew she was safe. But she cut it when her dad died, because she didn't want to be the Chloe  that William knew after he died.

First William, then Rachel, now Joyce. Who was next? Max? It would fit the pattern. The universe killing off everyone that was important to Chloe. But no, that would never happen, Chloe wouldn't let Max die. Plus, Max could protect herself, she had the ability to warp time and space, she was perfectly fine. That, however, didn't stop Chloe from vowing, right then and there, to always have Max's back. To protect her.

"Do you need me to go with you until you find him?" Chloe asked Max, as they advanced to the hospital doors. Max sighed, and pinched the sleeve of Chloe's jacket, which she was still wearing. Chloe didn't mind though. She would rather freeze to death and have Max be comfortable and warm, than taking the jacket from the brunette.

Max shook her head as she walked past the self opening hospital doors. "I can do it by myself, Chloe." The smaller girl turned to look at Chloe, who had been walking beside her. "You go find David. Talk to him about Joyce." It seemed painful for Max to talk about Joyce, probably because Joyce's death was her fault. One part of Chloe knew Max's pain, the other part felt that max wasn't allowed to feel bad about someone who she had killed.

Chloe knew she should stop thinking like that, because she knew that Max hadn't wanted to kill Joyce. She was protecting Chloe. But her mother's death was a consequence of the girls' selfishness. Chloe nodded, she didn't want to leave Max unattended, but figured it was probably the best idea for now. Give Max what she wanted, Chloe didn't want to upset the grieving girl. "Text me if you have any problems, okay? Let's meet up here in an hour to head back to Seattle. I don't want to be here longer than we have to."

Max gave a passive nod, then retreated into the hospital. Leaving Chloe by herself in the hallway. Chloe shivered to herself as she looked around the walls of the hospital. Last time she had been here was 10 years ago, when she had fallen off her skateboard and broken her wrist. Chloe ran her hand along the brick walls while she walked down the hallway, remembering the incident. William brought her here immediately, Chloe remember herself being calmer than William, who was freaking out like she was going to die. They went and had desert at Two Whales afterwards. Joyce nearly lost her shit when she saw Chloe's cast.

The memory made Chloe's eyes water. She had to pause for a moment to hold herself back. Each beat of Chloe's heart brought physical pain. Who knew the term 'heartbreak' was so literal? Chloe felt her knees weaken, hear breaths become uneven as she cowered the hospital, in search of her step father and dead mother. Never in a million years did Chloe ever expect to have to plan her mother's funeral for her. She always planned for her mother to outlive her.

Was that selfish? Wanting to die before her mother, just so she couldn't have to deal with the grief of seeing her dead mother? Even though Chloe had no idea what Joyce would feel like if Chloe had died. Her husband, then Daughter? The very idea of that had Chloe feeling sick to the stomach.

Or maybe that feeling was because Chloe was now staring David Madsen in the eye.

The man looked like a damn mess, well, even more than normal. His hair was absolutely everywhere, eyes red and blotchy, from Chloe really hoped wasn't crying. His skin was cut and bruised in several places, along is face and arms. It was alarming for Chloe to see David like this, he was always composed and careful because of his military experience. Chloe's knees felt locked, she didn't want to advance towards David. However, she did.

  
David watched her carefully without saying a word. His shoulders were hunched and his clothes looked like they hadn't been washed in days. Chloe had no doubt that he had been wearing those clothes since the storm. She stopped right in front of him, craning her neck upwards to look him in the eyes. It felt weird to be the smaller one, since Chloe was taller than most to all of her friends. Neither two of them said anything for a long time.

"Chloe." David sighed, and hugged Chloe. The punk flinched, her whole body repulsing the embrace. But she didn't do anything. She sat in agony as David hugged her, pressed her to his chest. "I'm so sorry Chloe, I failed you, I failed Joyce." David had started crying, great... Chloe hated when people cried in front of her. Especially people like David. She just sat quietly and let David talk shit out.

"I wish I could have done better, for the both of you. I wish I could have been a better husband to your mother." David cried even more and pulled Chloe closer into his chest, which smelled like dirt and sweat. Chloe almost tried to squirm out of his hug, but if she stayed here, let him hug her, and listened to him, maybe she could leave sooner. Plus, Chloe didn't mind him apologizing to her, in fact, she enjoyed it.

"I wanted to help your mother Chloe, I really did. But while I was off in that sick son of a bitch's bunker, your mother was in the diner. Which got crushed by the tornado." Now that made Chloe's eyes water. Joyce was in the diner at the time of the storm. Where she worked, where so many memories had been made. Of the Price family, and even Max, the secret 4th member of the Price squad. Chloe remembered having birthday breakfasts at the diner, or having celebratory ice cream Sundaes when she Aced a test. But now that was gone, and with it, her mother.

Chloe began to cry. She hated it, she hated crying in front of anyone let alone David. But she couldn't help it. Chloe couldn't stop thinking about the absolute shitty things she had done to her mother after William died. All she wanted to do was go back, be a better daughter to her mom. Chloe found her self involuntarily curling in closer to David, she had started crying and knew she couldn't stop it, so may as well embrace it. Chloe cried until her eyes were dry, and her head began to lightly pulse from pain. She stepped back from David, shameful. Chloe could see the wet stains on his shirt.

David scratched the back of his neck, he seemed a bit surprised from Chloe's openness, just as surprised as she was. "Thank you, Chloe." He said, letting his arms drop to his sides, "I'm glad you're okay." Chloe nodded, and said something she never thought she would ever say to David Madsen. "You too, David."

David sighed in relief, sitting down on a chair in the hallway. "Your friend Max told me that you two had been seeking refuge in Seattle with her parents. Are you two doing okay?" He asked, lightly touching one of his bruises on his arm, then flinched away, it was almost pathetic to look at. "Yeah, we're doing fine. Her folks are real accommodating with us." Chloe was happy to be out of Arcadia, like she had been dreaming of for years. But not quite the way it happened. "We're collecting one of Max's friends. Then we are Seattle bound." Chloe tried to make it sound lighthearted but it fell flat. David nodded, Chloe was hoping he wasn't going to hold her back in Arcadia with him. Allow her to be free with Max.

"Well, try to stay in touch. Okay Chloe?" He wasn't even looking at her, his eyes staring at the two hands folded in his lap. "I'll let you know when I plan out a funeral for-for..." David didn't continue, but he didn't need to. Chloe didn't want him to. "Well, you have my number." Chloe responded, making sure David didn't continue his thought. Chloe didn't want to even think about that right now. David looked up at her, a sadness in his eyes that Chloe had only seen a few times before. "Take care, Chloe. Please."

Chloe didn't respond. She didn't want to. She didn't want to make a promise she wasn't sure she could keep. She nodded and stepped away from David. From Joyce.

From her old life.


	9. Vantablack

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is the second last exhibition chapter. Next chapter will be the last one to set things up, then the story will really begin. So hang on for two more chapters, then the story will actually start

Chloe

Max wasn't at their agreed meet up spot when the time came. Chloe stood there, circling around and around in case Max came. She didn't

Chloe whipped out her phone, and sent texts rapid-fire.

[To: Maximus]

(Hey hey Maxie. Where are u??)

(Meet up spot? Yo)

(Max?)

The lack of replies within a short time really wigged Chloe out, she fiddled with the 3 bullets of her necklace anxiously, the clanging of the metal calmed her. It had been Chloe's remedy since Rachel had gifted her.

_'Open it, open it!'_

_'Rachel, you didn't have to get me a present...'_

_'It's your birthday, Chloe! Of course I did.'_

_._

_.._

_..._

_'Rachel... wow... This is badass.'_

_'Glad you like it, Price. It'll be a constant reminder of me. Even when I'm gone, that necklace will always be your beacon back to me.'_

_'But you're not going to leave, right?'_

_'Nope, never leaving.'_

The memory stung behind Chloe's eyes. She felt them water. Chloe wiped the water from her eyeballs, shame burning her cheeks, Chloe hated crying in public, And Max still hadn't ans **wered her phone**.

Chloe gruntled in anger. If Max wasn't going to answer her, fine. So goddamn be it. Chloe jammed her phone into her pocket and stomped out to her truck, which was still sitting in the parking lot of the hospital. Chloe climbed into it and slammed the door shut, which rattled the whole vehicle.

Slamming her fist on the dash above the glove box, Chloe watched as it fall open, exposing a sandwich bag of joints, only two remained. At least she still had her trusty sidekick(s) to keep her on her feet, when not even her best friend-

And crush

Goddamn-Chloe forgot she felt that way. Wait, she had? How could Chloe forget, the way she stared as Max bit her lip, or brushed her hair out of her face. Chloe was entranced by every little movement that Max did, it caught her, and transfixed her.

As Chloe started the engine, she knew that she would have to tell Max about her feelings sometime... But she was too scared to. She didn't want to ruin anything between her best friend and her, it would just shatter Chloe's already fragile state. And Chloe didn't need that.

Her mind wasn't connected her her hands as Chloe just drove. She didn't know where to, but she just had to leave for a minute, get some fresh air and take a toke. God knows she needed it right then.

When Chloe finally came to, she was parked in front of a destroyed Blackwell Academy.

She stayed in the car for a while, not wanting to move. Chloe wasn't sure of what had brought there, why her mind had taken her there. She slowly slipped out of the car, making sure to snatch that bag of weed on her way out.

The building was a wreck. It was far enough out of town that no one had thought to get to it yet. They were too busy with the rest of the town that they hadn't even reached Blackwell yet.

Chloe stared at the ghost of a building, now reduced to rubble. The building had never had any sentimental meaning to her. When she got expelled from Blackwell, Chloe had hated the place. She remembered tagging the bathroom, floor to ceiling, no well went untouched. She was damn proud of her work.

There was only one thing that Chloe remembered and cherished about Blackwell, and that had been meeting Rachel Amber.

  
She sighed from the sheer weight of the hazy memory. It had been what, 3 years ago? Chloe honestly thought she would have forgotten it by now. But yet, the memory still stained her thoughts, even if it was starting to fade at the edges.

How Rachel had run into Chloe at the front doors, which she had just stubbed her toe on the rubble of ("Ow, fuck~!") and they skipped school together, after seeing that concert the night before... The memories stung, a pain that made Chloe suck in a sharp intake of breath.

Chloe hopped on and over the rubble, her boots making it really hard on her ankles. Chloe tried to find her way around the rubble, mapping where everything would have been if the building was intact. She hopped around and planted her feet where she thought the bathroom would have been, the bathroom that she.. erm... 'personalized.'

The scattered rubble served as a good seat, which Chloe harshly slammed her ass onto an uneven piece of brick and gravel and grabbed her sandwich baggie and pulled out a carefully rolled joint from within, then her lighter from the other pocket.

It took her a couple tries to get the flame lit, but  she quickly did, then brought it to the green tip of the joint and watched it glow orange. Chloe quickly brought the drug to her lips, pulling in a long and hungry drag from it, savoring the wonderful feeling as the smoke burned the back of her throat.

Chloe opened her mouth and slowly slowed the smoke to leave, curling tendrils flowed slowly from her lips. Looking at it somehow unnerved her, the twisting smoke reminded her of some weird super power that she didn't want to run into.

A tattered sign that read 'No Smoking!' was laying right near Chloe's feet, half crushed by a large chunk of brick and glass. Chloe blew smoke at it. Oh, the irony.

With a sudden feeling of longing, Chloe sat back and sighed, allowing the drugs to start taking the tension away from her muscles. Chloe was already started to feel her edge being dulled, and being replaced with a hazy buzz. Damn, Frank didn't play around with his drugs. Chloe knew that she should take it easy with the drugs, because soon she would be driving the hell out of this godforsaken place. But she didn't want to.

Plus, Max had her drivers licence, right?

Come to think about it, Chloe had forgotten to ask. So much crazy shit had happened that week... Actually, there was a lot of things she may not know about Max, after all, a lot of stuff can happen in 5 years.

Someone like Chloe would know. She lost her father, her best friend, then her angel-Chloe took another long drag from her joint-and now her mother was gone too. Everyone that Chloe had really cared about in her life had gone. But only one had come back, and Chloe knew she couldn't let her go.

Hell, the only reason why Chloe was breathing right now was because of Max. But Chloe's life was in danger because of Max, too. But Chloe tried looking at the positives, especially when it came to Max, actually... Only when it came to Max. Chloe was a very pessimistic person.

Thoughts of Max made her guts swirl while Chloe watched the uneven glow of her marijuana cigarette. Chloe knew her feelings towards Max by now, they were undeniable. How she was mesmerized by each movement Max made, how Chloe was at a loss of breath just thinking about her best friend.

But that's all they were. Friends. Chloe wasn't sure how much she wanted to change that. What if they did 'get together' and something fucked up? It may create a rift between them, then Chloe would finally be all alone. But that wouldn't happen, right? Max had ripped up an entire town for Chloe, surely she wouldn't turn around and leave her if they got together, right?

Chloe had her doubts. Despite everything.

When the joint between her fingers became nothing but a stub, no longer than the tip of her thumb, Chloe knew it was probably time to go back to the hospital and check to see if Max was done getting her Nerd.

Chloe stood-too quickly, her vision swam-then threw the butt on the ground, and crushed it under the toe of her boot. She still felt really conflicted about Warren coming with them, she knew what feelings he had towards Max. And with Chloe started to feel her own, she didn't want any competition or anything.

She knew it was silly, but Chloe was too scared to talk to Max about what they had felt. They had been friends since Kindergarten, Chloe really didn't want to screw anything up. A thing she was really good at, without even trying.

On her way over to the Shitmobile, Chloe noticed a large Raven, which perched itself on one of the chunks of rubble.

Something about it really caught her eye. Maybe it was because how dark it was, it was almost Vantablack, absorbing all of the light that fell upon it.

Actually, on further inspection, it looked more like a shadow than an actually bird. But then it tilted it's head. Big beady eyes rested carefully on hers. Chloe felt entranced. It was big. Like, really big. Bigger than Ravens were supposed to be, that Chloe knew for sure.

She took one careful step towards it, and suddenly her temples seared. Pain shot through her forehead and Chloe reacted immediately, ducking down and grabbing her forehead tightly. A distraught shout bursting out of her lips.

The pain flashed through, then disappeared the second Chloe could react to it. Maybe she should calm her drug doss down a little, they were really starting to take a toll on her, physically. When Chloe finally relaxed her muscles, the Raven was gone.

Chloe looked to the sky, surely it had to be around here somewhere, right? She had only been detracted for a second. But the Raven was nowhere to be found.

Chloe felt shivers shoot down her spine. Something about that bird had felt terribly... Off. With a careful look left, then right, (though she wasn't sure who she was looking for, she was the only one around) Chloe walked towards the rubble, which the Raven had earlier been perched on.

A piece of cobblestone had caught her foot, and Chloe almost fell face first into the chunk where the bird had been on. Chloe turned around and grunted at the tripping hazard, though there was no reason for it, it was just stone.

When Chloe turned, her jaw fell agape.

The Vantablack Raven's perch was covered in spray paint. It was words, a statement.

_LONG LIVE RACHEL AMBER._

The writing was scrawled on, it had dripped down and started to leech onto the ground below the intended canvas, a great place to tag, but it looked sort of rushed, and messy. But there was no doubt that the graffiti was new. The paint had been dried, but some red residue stuck to Chloe's fingers when she grazed them along the words. Being careful, as if too hard of a touch would cause the stone to crumble.

Who did this?

Chloe's mind leaped back and forth to the culprit behind this. Why would someone write that now, months after Rachel had initially after was officially claimed missing by the Arcadia Bay Police Department? Chloe scrambled for her phone, which rested in the pocket of her jeans.

She fished it out and and switched it to camera mode, Max needed to see this too. The -click- of her phone indicated that the sight was captured by her cell phone. Chloe jammed the phone back into her pocket the second it captured the photo. She was freaked out now, she wanted to go back to the hospital.

Slamming the truck's door, Chloe stuck the keys in the ignition. Her stomach churned slowly. The rubble of Blackwell Academy had looked so lifeless, like no one had gone near the place since it was destroyed. But yet, somehow, someone had left that graffiti there.

  
Chloe wondered, was it for her? Could someone have seen her in the hospital and predicted she was going to go up to Blackwell, so they wanted to give her a sign? No, that was stupid. Chloe's head began to pound again, a flickering pain spread throughout her skull. She let out an audible groan and pressed her forehead to the steering wheel harshly. It felt like a vice was clamping harshly on her temples, squeezing and squeezing with no remorse.

Ripples of pain pulsed through Chloe's head, and now her guts too. Both pulsing to the same rhythm. Vomit tickled the back of Chloe's throat and threatened to escape, she clumsily pushed the car door open, and leaned her head out, but the vomit didn't come. She dry heaved a few times, but her throat clamped up, not letting any puke out.

What the hell was wrong with her? Maybe Frank had slipped something into the joint that he sold to her, wouldn't be the first time. But it was definitely the first time that the effects were this severe. Last time Frank laced his shit, (He was fucking drunk when he did it, thought it would be a hilarious prank- it wasn't) She just had a mild headache and a sore throat, nothing like what she was experiencing now.

Chloe felt her phone vibrate from her lap, the suddenly all the pain in her body vanished at once, making Chloe gasp audibly, she was left lightheaded from the relief.

She snatched open her phone and flipped through her texts, several new ones from Max read:

[From Maximus:]

(Got Warren, had to track down)

(Let's meet up and get the hell out of here)

Chloe couldn't agree more. She twisted her keys inside of the ignition, and the truck roared to life. 


	10. Sunset

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Final exposition chapter, before the real plot begins

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is the final chapter of story exposition before the real plot begins, soon the chapters will be longer and the plot will begin to deepen.
> 
> 9 days left of the NaNoWriMo challenge! So I'm gonna pour myself into my Amberprice work, so there's like only a %0.1 percent chance that this will be updated again until the challenge is over, so enjoy.

 

Max

Finding Warren in the hospital was harder than I thought it to be. The place was so cramped that I thought I would never have found him. It definitely made me happy that all of these people were alive, that my powers didn't kill an entire town of people.

But it also had made me guilty.

All these people, hurt, broken. Because of some decision I made? I felt very shitty when I was looking for him in that hospital.

_Good. You hurt them._

'God, what do you want?' I reply to the voice of Chloe, echoing off the walls of my skull while Warren and I wait for Chloe to com back to wherever the hell she fucked off to while I was getting Warren.

_I didn't say I wanted anything. I can do things without having a purpose behind it._

Why is it even your head in my mind? Like, it would make a lot more sense if it was my own. Like another part of my brain that's scolding my decisions, or something. But why you?

_Hey, I don't make the rules._

"Max..." Warren's raspy voice tugged me out of my trance. The Chloe voice vanishes from my brain. My heart twinges again when I look down at Warren, sitting in a wheelchair. His leg and arm were broken when the Two Whales collapsed, he was lucky enough to be the only one inside that lived. Not Frank, not Pompidou, not Joyce.

"Yes, Warren? What do you need?" I devote my entire attention to him. It's what he deserves, after all, since I was the one that caused him pain. "I... I need a drink. Can we get one before we leave?" His voice is coarse, like he had spent the last hour screaming. And, I don't really doubt it, they had to relocate his hip, twice, and re break his arm to fix it. I wince at the thought.

"Sure thing, Warren." I say, trying to sound as enthusiastic as I can about it. "I'll get it, don't move." As soon as I say that, I regret it. Don't move, seriously? Saying that to a guy in a wheelchair?

Fortunately for me, Warren takes it as a joke, his laugh sounds like two pieces of sandpaper rubbing against each other. "Thanks, Max." He offers me a warm smile that I don't deserve as I wander off.

There must be a water fountain around here, right? But then, how could I get to Warren? Wait! Cafeteria, duh. I shuffle over to the cafeteria that Warren and I passed on our way to the entrance. It's a tiny area, a couple tables crammed in here, and I'm the only person in the room.

Going over to the small fridge in the corner, I pry it open and snatch a water bottle from within.

Feeling thirsty myself, I take a second bottle from inside, and stuff it under my armpit. Mission Accomplished, I slam the tiny fridge door closed with my hip and-

A small sign beside the fridge catches my eye, big, bold, and red words scrawled unevenly on it.

_LONG LIVE CHLOE PRICE_

I blink rapidly, and when I look at it again, the words are gone. Instead, replaced with:

_All Juice Beverages Are $0.5._

What the fuck was that? I could have worn that a second ago it read... My head pulses suddenly, and I cry out, dropping the water bottles onto the floor.

My arm burns and my head pulses, I haven't felt pain like this since... Since my last rewind, days ago in that Dark Room bunker. I feel liquid drip down onto my lip, and I taste the strong, silvery taste of blood on my tongue.

Shit, shit, why is this happening? I haven't used my Rewind in a long time, so this shouldn't be happening. The pain pulsates in my brain, threatening to make me curl up onto the floor,. My vision bubbles crimson at the corners.

Sudden relief crashes over me as the pain disappears in a flash, leaving me hunched over in the small cafeteria room my myself.

As soon as I regain my bearings, I warily grab the water bottles that had fallen to the floor, and take a moment to recollect myself. This has been the longest time I've gone without using my Rewind power, (since I got it) and I rally hope the two aren't connected.

I'm about to leave the room when I remember my bloody nose. Luckily, there are napkins on the food counter, I snatch one and apply it to my nose, wiping off the blood that had dripped from it, at least the blood flow stopped relatively quickly, I don't want Chloe freaking out on me because she thinks I used my rewind.

I discard the napkins in the trash once I'm done wiping up the blood, and leave the room. I'm sure Warren is wondering why I took so long. I feel a pang of guilt as I remember that he's waiting for me in a wheelchair. Could I be any more of an asshole?

When I get back to the rendezvous point, Chloe and Warren are having a discussion. Chloe has one of her hands stuffed in her jean pocket, the thumb dangling out. Her head is craned downwards to look Warren in the eyes, nodding occasionally to what I'm assuming is his words.

"Hey." I casually say, wandering over to the two, handing Warren's water bottle to him. He takes it and looks at with a confused expression, then uses his teeth to twist the cap off. Shit, I probably should have offered.

Chloe looks up at me, the expression on her face changes in a way I can't describe. "It's Super Max." She greets, taking her hand out of her pocket to force her fist into her open hand, letting her knuckles crack audibly. Ouch. "Ready to bounce, super star?"

Beside me, Warren chugs his water, but nods in agreement, I mirror the movement. "I'd like to get out of here before dark..." I've always hated driving in the dark, even as a kid. You never knew what was gonna pop out at you, if you only could see a little bit in front of you. The mystery freaked me out.

Funny, because nowadays, my life is one big mystery.

"Then let's get rolling, we're loosing daylight." Chloe looks out the hospital windows dreamily, to the sun that's starting its decent behind the cliffs. I nod in agreement, grabbing Warren's wheelchair, and pushing him out the door with us, he's lighter than I would have guessed...

Chloe's old truck rumbles in the parking lot. exhaust pooling out of the pipe in the back, she must have gotten here very recently, while I was having that.. episode in the lunch room.

I swing open the passenger door, and look at Warren's state. "Chloe, I'll need help lifting him." He may be lighter than I expected, but no way can I lift him on my own. Chloe walks around to my side and takes a look at the situation.

"Um... I got the foot, you got the arm?" She proposes, looking uncomfortable at the idea of having to lift Warren. He doesn't look that okay with it either, but we have no choice, really. I nod and grab Warren's armpit, the unbroken one. Chloe takes his unbroken leg, and gives me a solid nod.

We both hoist Warren upwards, and drop him into the worn seat, maybe a little harder than anticipated. Warren yelps, but we made sure to steer clear of his arm and leg. "Sorry." I apologized, trying to fold up his wheelchair best I can. "Everything okay?"

Warren nods gently. "Thank you, Max. For everything."

My intestines knot. "D-don't thank me, Warren. I don't deserve it." I see Chloe pause out of the corner of my eye, ready to open the driver door of the truck, her eyes are on me. "Yes you do." Warren insists, "you pulled me out of that damned hospital. It was terrible in there."

But I put you in that hospital...

"Come on, guys." Chloe intervenes, yanking the truck's old door open. "We're loosing daylight."

I nod, putting the folded wheelchair at Warren's feet. He looks uncomfortably cramped, but Chloe's truck isn't all that big, it's going to be one hell of a cramped ride back to Seattle. I make my way over to Chloe, who let's me get into the truck first, and slide into the middle seat before climbing in herself.

I have to help Warren put on his seat belt, since it's on the side of his broken arm, I lean over, across his body to grab the belt from the truck wall. I can't see her, but I can feel Chloe's eyes burning into me while I take the belt, and slide back into my own seat, buckling Warren in.

Chloe's cheeks carry a small flush, probably from the cold, when she climbs into the car and closes the door rather roughly. I sigh as I click my own seat belt into place.

Chloe seems to pause for a moment, her mind turning before she fishes out her phone."Max... I saw something really fucking strange." She looks over at Warren, who has his eyes closed and his head pressed against the glass window, before unlocking her phone and opening her gallery. I lean into her, my shoulder pressing against hers. Did she see any more freaky shit while she was wandering off?

She pulled up a photo and gave the phone to me. It was...

A rock?

Rubble, everywhere. A fallen building for sure, scrambled like an egg from the storm, but there isn't anything special about the photo, just a large piece of rubble, laying crooked on the ground. All Chloe wanted to do was remind me of the destruction I caused, already knowing I feel guilty about it? Harsh.

I throw the phone back onto her lap without much care, why would she try to make me feel guilty about something she already knows I'm torturing myself about? What friend she is... "Whatever." I spit out, looking straight out the windshield. "Let's get moving."

Chloe looks confused, she looks down at the picture of her phone, and her eyes bulge. "Wh-wha-" She picks up the cell phone and stares at the picture. "There... But there was..." She's at a loss of words, which makes me even more mad. "Let's go." I repeat sternly.

"But... Max... I-" Chloe starts, trying to shove the picture in my face. God, how dense is she? Why is she trying this hard to guilt me even more than I am? "Chloe, enough!" I snap loudly. Both Chloe and Warren flinch.

Abandoning her mission, Chloe puts the truck into gear without another word, and the three of us are off to Seattle once again. Soundlessly.

I really don't mind the silence of the drive, it allows me to collects my thoughts, and allow my brain to clear from being in back in that town again. I'm... almost relieved that the hospital was so busy. It means that many people survived the storm. But yet- how many of those people were just volunteers from other cities, who came to the small town's aid after hearing the news? I really don't want to think of that.

So I don't, I sit back and try to relax as much as I can in this cramped car. Warren asleep against the window to my right, his casted arm resting gently on his lap. And Chloe to my left, both hands on the wheel, staring longingly out the windshield.

I sigh. "Sorry for snapping. It's... it's just been really hard."

Chloe allows a soulless seconds to pass, processing information and thinking of a response, I'm sure. Then I see her throat bob, her teeth start to work at her lip. She's thinking, mulling something over. "What is it?" I ask, looking at her worried expression.

We've been out of Arcadia for an hour or two, but we're still along the coastline. The ocean water shimmers along the sandy coast as we drive past it. Chloe finally finishes worrying about whatever she was doing, then takes a hand off the wheel, slowly placing it over mine. She doesn't speak for a few seconds after that.

"I... I know it's been hard, Max. It... it hasn't been any easier for me." Her face bears a sullen expression while her teeth continue to worry at her lip. "But we can't mull on this forever, we have to look forward, at the future. Chloe pauses and gulps, "our future."

Our future. I like the sound of that. Chloe and me, together. Maybe even closer than friends...

I know it's stupid, and Chloe is still hooked on Rachel, but this past week has made me think of Chloe as more than a friend. When she asked me to kiss her in her room, I thought she felt the same. I don't think she felt the same way about it, though.

It was just a dare, a stupid joke to her, to giver her a laugh.

Well, jokes on me, because I fell in love.

Chloe sighs, I can tell that she's uncomfortable, but I'm not sure why. Probably because the three of us are cramped tight in the car.

I keep my grip on Chloe's hand tight, and sit back, pressing my head to the wall of the car behind me something stirs deep in my stomach, bubbling.

My arm throbs, it feels like someone dipped it the Arctic Ocean. Do I even have a right arm anymore? Wait, yeah, I do. The fingers of my left hand tighten around Chloe's, but the fingers of my left have lost all of their feeling. I jerk my arm to see if it's just asleep. But nothing happens, the limb doesn't even move.

With a thrash of ice cold, my skull starts to cramp again, causing an unfiltered cry to burst from my lips, pain swells everywhere and the crimson bubbles at the corners of my vision again. I haven't used my rewind in days, this can't be happening. Maybe it's because I haven't used it?

I will myself to back up time, I try lifting my arm, once, twice. But I can't. I can't rewind time.

"Max? Max, hey." Chloe suddenly starts raising alarm. I feel the vehicle jerk around us, then slowly stop. I think we are pulled over.

My guts begin to twist and turn again when Chloe places a hand on my shoulder. A sickening feeling rises in my throat, threatening to spill out. "Out, Out." I spit urgently, feeling the vomit rising higher. Chloe wastes no time shoving the truck door open and stumbling out, allowing me to crawl out, then spill my guts on the sand.

God. I didn't know it was possible for a human to puke so much. Some vomit dribbles out of my nose while the rest comes out of my sore throat, splashing onto the sand. Chloe stands back, I can see her worried and pitiful expression from the corner of my vision.

"I-I'muh- I'm sorry..." I mumble, after I've emptied the entire contents of my stomach onto the shoreline sand. Chloe doesn't say anything, just tugs me up from my knees.

"Don't be sorry Max." She digs in her car and grabs a few napkins from the dashboard, I use them to wipe off my mouth and blow my nose, though afterward I still inhale vomit through my nose.

I take a few shuttering breaths in attempt to calm my body, so I don't puke out even more garbage, but I think all of the puking is out of my system. (Heh, no pun intended there)

Chloe offers me a piece of gum. I accept it. Its stale and minty, a gross combo, but it combats the vomit residue still left in my mouth, so I don't complain. I take a second piece for good measure. Chloe watches me, silent, while I collect my bearings. Breathing deeply and carefully, chewing on the gum to get the nasty taste of my lunch out of my mouth.

"What was that?" She asks calmly once I've calmed myself back down. I can feel my arm again, and my stomach is calm, but there's still the ghost of pain on my temples. I sigh and lightly touch my fingers to my right temple, feeling a vein that rests there pump blood to my sore and bruised brain.

I shake my head absently. "No idea."

Chloe sighs and opens her mouth to think, but seems to rethink her words and shut her mouth, thinking real carefully on her words." Could it, um." She licks her lips, thinking again. "Maybe it's-"

"Not my Rewind. It's not my Rewind." I assure her, closing the truck door behind me to make sure our conversation stays private from Warren, who looks like he's sleeping, but you can never be sure. "How can you know?" Chloe asks, impatience slowly seeping into her voice. Really, she doesn't trust me?

"Because, Chloe." My words are sharp, loosing the gentle nature they had before. "I haven't rewound since the storm. This is the longest I've gone without using it."

Chloe nods, chewing on her lip before speaking again. "Then I don't know what else that could have been. But we should figure out soon, before it gets worse." She cracks each of the fingers on her right hand, individually.

I nod, distracted. Adding more shit to the list of ongoing problems will absolutely overload us right now.

The salty ocean air soothes my headache, so I close my eyes and take a deep inhale through my nose, allowing the calming scent to wash the pain away. The sand crunches, and when I open my eyes, Chloe is standing right in front of me.

Her eyes shiny with hope and something else, I'm not sure what it is, though. "But Max," she takes both of my hands in hers, skimming her thumbs along my knuckles. "We can't do this unless we work together, as a team." A smile cracks her lips. "Partners in Crime."

"Partners in Time." My smile matches hers.

The other emotion in her eyes flickers even stronger now, and I think I can place a name to it.

Fear?

"Chloe... What's wrong?" I ask her, when she shies away, pulling her hands from mine. She suddenly won't look at me, her eyes darting everywhere but where I stand.

"Chloe." I say more stern, my hands are cold from hers being gone. "What's wrong?" My repetition only seems to make her more skittish, she shuffles her weight uncertainly, her eyes still wandering anywhere but me.

"Max, I uh..." Her voice is hoarse, eyes skittering left and right nervously. Finally she gulps, closing her eyed and taking a deep breath. "I... I love you." She murmurs softly.

"I love you too." I answer, puzzled. Chloe and I have said those words to each other countless times since our childhood, they've always been a way to declare our friendship to one another.

"No. I'm _in_ love with you. God. Fuck-" Chloe clutches at her hair, yanking at it with white knuckles.

"Like, 3 fucking years ago. I started to realize it. But ever since you came back? Fuck." Chloe confesses, her foot on top of the discarded beanie laying on the sand. "If you thought that dare in my bedroom on Wednesday was just a 'spur of the moment decision, you're terribly mistaken."

I can't say anything. I feel frozen in place, though I've wanted Chloe to say these words for days now, I can't find the courage to say anything back, so I let her continue.

  
"That moment was very carefully planned out, I needed to find some way to get close to you, to confirm whether I was feeling naive, or I actually had some sort of feelings for you. And it turns out, I was falling in love for my best friend." Chloe sighs, her chest flattening after the confession left her lips.

I sill don't know what to say. I should be happy, this is what I want right, for Chloe to have the same feelings as me? But I just can't seem to find any words. I let my mouth open and close, over and over again, trying to articulate some sort of sentence, but words just don't come out, they can't. I seal my lips and let a blush of defeat rise on my cheeks.

Chloe's expression flicks to fear of rejection and she bites her lip so hard I won't be surprised if it breaks the skin. "Max, say something."

My muscles clench, my body shivers and I accidentally swallow the mint gum that was starting to loose its flavor anyway. Finally, I will the words to come out.

"I'm... I'm in love with you too, Chloe."

As soon as her name leaves my mouth, she strides forward and presses her lips into mine. Gentle and soft, her hands fly up to my face, each one cradling my cheeks so she can maneuver my lips closer to hers.

We pull away for a sharp gasp of air, Chloe's face doesn't go further away than a couple inches from mine as we regain our breaths. She looks at me dead in the eyes, fondness gleaming from her beautiful blue irises.

Before I can speak, her lips are on mine again, a little more rough, and hungry. This time, I kiss her back. Everything else fades around me. It's her lips, her tongue, her mouth on mine. That's the only things that matter to me in this moment.

I loose count of time when we separate, I wipe my lips and lick my lips. Chloe stares down at me, her hands still on my cheeks, rubbing her thumb against my cheekbones. Her lips are swollen and her skin is flushed, the most beautiful sight I've ever seen.

As I held Chloe, and Chloe held me on this beach, the being orange sunset light washing over us, everything else fades. Arcadia, my power, my life, nothing else matters, all of my worries about my future wash away.

Because as I look at Chloe, bathed in the light of the setting sun, I know that if we're together, everything will be okay.


	11. Do It Once, Then Rewind

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The plot begins to thicken...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So. Hey. Sorry this took so long to to get out, with NaNoWriMo in the way (finished it was 51k words!) I had my hands full. With that being said, now that my chapters will be getting bigger, and the plot is getting a big larger. I don’t think I’ll be updating weekly. I still have school and other things to do, I’ll try to update as much as possible, but maybe every two/weeks? I have a tumblr (Amberpricefieldwashere) for updates on all of my writing, if you want to see there. But anyway, enjoy the chapter!

Chloe

The sunlight shone though the thin curtains, forcing Chloe awake from her heavy sleep.

The bedroom was strangely hot that morning, the hum of the air conditioning absent. Damn thing probably blew again. Chloe sighed and heaves herself out of bed, well, she was up for the day.

Chloe shivered as the hot air touched her skin, a reminder of how completely naked she was. She glanced over to the bed to check on the girl who was in bed with her. Max Caulfield was still dead asleep, her bare back exposed from the covers being pulled down to the middle of her back. Chloe lightly pressed her fingers to Max's hair, making sure not to wake the smaller girl, before she got her clothes on.

Their apartment wasn't too bad, really, it was a kitchen and living room, blended together, with two bedrooms and a bathroom. Chloe had bought it for a steal, Max had to chip in a little too. But together the girls made this place work, Sure it was old and had its issues, but anywhere the two lived together, was home enough for Chloe.

Chloe scratched her left breast and made her way to the thermostat, tampering with the damned thing until she could finally get some cool air circulating through the hot apartment. Now, with that out of the way...

Chloe checked her work phone encase she had any messages, but why would she? Uber drivers work on their own clock, and that was Chloe's favorite thing about being an Uber driver. Plus, income was pretty good too.

A reminder popped up at the top of Chloe's phone screen, she tapped on it to expand it.

Rewind Lab test w/ Warren today at 2:45

The date beside the reminder read: September 22nd 2017. Goddamn, Chloe couldn't believe it was already 2017, four years after Max came back, for years after everything happened. They were both doing okay, time was slowly healing their scars, but Chloe could tell that Max was still a little messed up in the head, she did as much as she could to help. Max had been doing really well for a year, maybe two, but she started to decline from there. Recently she was quiet and oppressed, but very temperamental and Chloe didn't know what was wrong with her.

Chloe frowned to herself, Max was never perfect. She'd been breaking out into nosebleeds and coughing blood supposedly randomly. Max swore she never used her rewind since the storm, but the more and more those bloody accidents happened, the less Chloe believed her. It hurt Chloe that her girlfriend might have been lying to her, they had been through so much that they needed to be a team.

Chloe turned the phone off and tossed it mindlessly onto the couch with a sigh. Chloe was originally the one to tell Warren about Max's powers, she knew that Warren was a big science guy, and he still had a big puppy crush on Max, so he would believe anything about Max that they would say.

Yeah, Max was mad initially, but Chloe convinced her that it was better for the both of them to learn more about her power, and how it might be hurting her, even without using it. Obviously, Warren was happy to help them

Chloe heard a small ticking sound from the vents, the old ass air conditioning was kicking in high gear to cool down the apartment. The air felt stale, slowly cooling down with the hard efforts of air conditioning, Chloe would probably have to change the filter soon. She had already done it so many times it was muscle memory to her.

  
Chloe checked on the sleeping girl once more to confirm she was asleep before starting to cook breakfast. Chloe never liked to make a habit of cooking, that was Max's strong suit, but Max has had a rough past few days, so Chloe broke her rule this one time.

Starting a pot of coffee, Chloe got to work on making breakfast, grabbing the milk and pre mixed pancake better while she waited for her coffee to finish brewing. The kitchen was a damn mess before Chloe could help it, pancake powder and milk spilled all over the counter, evidence that she attempted to cook something.

Chloe haphazardly wiped the counter and grabbed the now full coffee pot, pouring the hot drink evenly between two mugs, one for her, and her girlfriend.

Chloe sighed when she looked at the two mugs, they carried deep symbolism to her, as the first things the two girl had bought for their apartment back in 2015. Max's mug was designed like a digital camera lens, with a whole bunch of switches and buttons that did nothing, they were a design choice that Chloe didn't get. But Chloe's was a Tron design, black bug with blue lines and markings.

The two girls were vastly different, Chloe was surprised they had lasted this long in a relationship, she always had fears that they would break up when they started dating, but despite having a few fights here and there, they managed to hold strong for nearly 4 years. Chloe was still bewildered that she got someone as perfect as Max, it amazed her every day.

Chloe set the table with the two coffee mugs and plates of mostly burnt pancakes, then waited for her girlfriend to wake up.

A low grunting and shuffling from the bedroom let Chloe know that Max was awake. The smaller girl shuffled out of the bedroom and flicked her hair from her eyes, red and puffy from sleep. She was absolutely adorable.

"Well good morning, Super Max." Chloe greeted, a smile on her face while the sleepy girl shuffled to the breakfast table, the legs on her (technically Chloe's) pyjama pants dragged across the floor. Max's half open eyes found the camera lens coffee mug and she snatched it. Sipping on her coffee, Max sat down on her chair, before yeliping and jumping back up.

"How was the sex last night?" Chloe chuckled to the girl, who grumbled in response and lowered herself carefully onto the seat the next time. Max was grumpy this morning, she just needed to wake up a little more.

Chloe decided to eat her burnt pancakes, they tasted like ass, which was unsurprising, but it seemed to help wake Max up, as her face scrunched in disgust when she bit into a blackened pancake. It made Chloe laugh. "Man, that bad, huh?" Max nodded and swigged her coffee to help drown out the burnt taste. Well, at least she was more awake now.

"We have lab tests with Warren today." Chloe reminded her girlfriend, abandonning her food and just sipping at her coffee. Max gave an unenthused nod and continued to drink her coffee, taking on the bitterness like a champ. "We should leave here at 2, because Traffic is a bitch." Chloe planned aloud at Max's silence. The smaller girl nodded in agreement.

Chloe sighed to herself. Max looked completely drained, her skin was pale and she had lost a lot of weight in the past 4 years, it was really upsetting to see Max like this, but no matter how much Chloe had tried, Max pushed her away. They were starting to drift apart and Chloe was loosing sleep from it.

Chloe stood and cleared the plates, dumping the burnt food into the trash can. Max watched silently from her seat and finished the mug of coffee, before setting it down on the table in front of her. Chloe leaned forward and briefly pressed her lips to Max's, a small gesture that showed both girls their appreciation for each other. "Go on and take your meds, Max, I'll continue clean up."

Max nodded quietly and stood, Chloe knew she hated taking her meds, but they were important to keeping Max on the right track. Her doctor had perscribed them to Max to help with her nightmares and nosebleeds, they had been working a lot less lately, but Chloe was unwilling to give up.

Chloe finished cleaning up the table while she listened to the running sink water, and rattling of a pill bottle in the bathroom. It was the idea of the pills more than the actual pills themselves that comforted Chloe, the promise of making all of Max's problems go away, to help her wounds heal. But Chloe wasn't sure that was ever going to happen, and Max knew it too.

That storm had completely changed the Max that Chloe has once knew. After that faithful decision on that cliff, Max had folded in on herself, put up stone walls around herself and didn't let anyone in, which made it hard for Chloe and Max to hold a stable relationship, but Chloe did anything she possibly could to keep Max mentally stable, a task that was proving harder as the time went on.

When Max came out of the bathroom, she seemed to be fully awake and at attention, her shoulders tensed up and her hands in fists, gone was the relaxed and sleepy Max, the fractured and stressed one took her place.

Chloe stepped forward and embraced Max in a hug. "I love you." She murmured. Max squirmed in her arms as Chloe's breath tickled her ear, then she pushed her face into Chloe's chest. "I love you too." Chloe loves these moments, small fragments in time where everything was perfect, where Max wasn't in pain, and their relationship wasn't broken.

Max stepped back from their embrace, a ghosted smile on her face. It wasn't the bright smile that Max used to wear, but it was enough for Chloe these days. She gave her own smile in return. "Lets get dressed, lab experiments Wait for no one."

Max nodded in return, looping her arm around Chloe's while they walked into the bedroom. The two girls shamelessly stripped in front of each other in the bedroom, they had seen each other naked countless times. Max grabbed a plain white shirt with a small doe design above her left breast, pairing it with a pair of ripped jeans, the pair that Chloe loved the most, because it exposed most of her knee, while Chloe went with the classic tank top and jacket, a style she'd been rocking for years.

Chloe grabbed the hair brush on her bedside table, seeking a mirror so she could brush her long hair. After the whole Arcadia Bay incident, Max and Chloe decided to huddle down in Seattle, neither of them really had the energy to go anywhere else. Once they had calmed down, earned jobs and bought an apartment, Chloe decided that she needed to have a physical change, as well as a mental one.

So Chloe began to let her hair grow, she stopped wanting it to be short, and she let the dye fade out. She eventually decided to stick to her blue locks, since they had been a reminder of her life, of Rachel, the one who convinced her to get it done in the first place. Once her hair grew to around the middle of her back, Chloe dyed the ends blue, probably around the size of her hand, the rest, she decided to keep natural.

Chloe didn't regret her choice, it reminded her that she was a different person than she was when that storm hit. She didn't want to be known as the Chloe she was when Arcadia Bay was intact. But she let the change come gradually, because she didn't want to completely bury herself. She let the scars show, the memories of the incident were worn on her skin.

Unlike Chloe however, Max wanted an immediate change. Her and Chloe found an awesome hair place, and Max claimed she wanted a huge change, and she got one. Her hair met some really sharp scissors, and emerged in a pixie cut that would put Victoria Chase's ugly cut to shame. And added a strip of pink dye for leisure. 

After Chloe's hair was brushed, and they both had some pants on, Chloe swiped the keys to her car, she did have to admit, she missed her old truck, but she couldn't Uber with it, her old companion would be missed. Her new car wasn't shiny and chrome, but it was at least acceptable. Chloe always wanted a jeep when she was younger, and now she had one. Max crawled herself into the passenger side of the car and Chloe got behind the wheel.

Warren had himself a small science lab near his apartment, which was ways away from where the girls lived. Now, Chloe would never admit this aloud, but she liked the idea of Warren living so far away, she always felt threatened around him, like he was her competition for Max, because she was well aware of his history with her girlfriend, and didn't want that to become a problem again.

Despite that, Chloe was also thankful for his closeness, Max always seemed to like having him around. Chloe had no idea why, maybe because he was a reminder of the past? Or because he was a fucking nerd, and Max seemed to like nerds? Chloe would never crack the case.

Chloe knew the route to the lab like the back of her hand, they had visited Warren many times for many different occasions. Sometimes for these labs they were doing to test Max's powers, or because Max had a sudden unexplained nosebleed and they needed to figure out why. So, yeah, Chloe had driven this route all too much.

Chloe parked the car at the small lab where Warren Graham spent most of his time. It was a small area, plain white walls, not much bugger than any of the public stores all around it. Chloe had to lean over and tap her girlfriend's shoulder, and watch as she opened her eyes while adjusting to where they had come to stop.

"Ready?" She asked gently, rubbing Max's shoulder soothingly Chloe really didn't want to go in, she severely hated these lab sessions. They were Warren's idea, after Max told him her secret like 2 years ago, he suggested that they work with him to find out the secrets of Max's rewind, and maybe how to get rid of it. Max was all over it, dying to find out what she could do. But Chloe hated the idea, she had seen what the Rewind could so, so did Max. That made Chloe very skeptical about using the Rewind repeatedly to try and find some sort of explanation for it.

But, of course. That didn't stop them from doing it, because Chloe would follow Max into hell if the brunette asked, so she begrudgingly went along with the experiments, too. Max looked over at the white lab and gave a nod, clipping her seat belt and rubbing at her eyes.

Once outside, Chloe opened Max's door for her, like a proper lady, or, that's what TV taught her. Max was bashful, but slipped out of the car and gave her girlfriend a small nudge with her head, it made Chloe crack a wide smile.

There were two doors that led into the small lab. Both were locked. Chloe grumbled for a moment, for remembering the key, which was on her lanyard. Warren had given both girls a key to his lab, encase he didn't hear them coming in, or he was in danger because he was doing something stupid and needed to be rescued.

Chloe snatched the lanyard from around her neck, and shuffled between the various keys she had on the damned thing. One for her apartment, then another encase she lost the first, one for her car, another for Max's car, yet another for Max's art studio, and finally, one for Warren's lab. She fiddled through the assortment of keys, until she found the right one, slipping it into the lock. Only, it didn't go in. Wrong key.

After one hell of a struggle, and Max's obvious disappointment, Chloe finally got the doors open. A chill hit her dead on when the doors swung open. It was always hella freezing in Warren's lab, she never knew why, Warren refused to acknowledge it. Chloe held the door open for Max, then went inside, and re locked the door.

There was a long stretch of hallway that led to the initial lab. Chloe hated it. It was a long stretch of nothing, white walls and the only sound was footsteps and breathing. When Chloe and Max reached the end, she had to open yet another set of double doors that led to warren Graham's workshop lab.

The place was exactly the same as it was when Chloe was there last. Why did Chloe expect it to be any different? There were several rows of tables, vials and solutions spread out among most of them. Glass cabinets lines the walls, an assortment of chemicals and other science goodies-most of which, Chloe recognized-were inside. Everything was the generic white that the entire building was coated with.

Chloe wasn't sure how Warren could bare the constant assault of the bright white pain on his eyes, but he apparently didn't care, as he didn't bother to repaint, or anything.

The blonde girl looked at all the expensive science equipment as she walked further into the lab, she'd forgotten how much success Warren had acclaimed over the years.  All his experiments and discoveries made him famous. He was the only one that Chloe knew, who thrived after the Arcadia Bay incident.

Finally, Chloe found the boy by a glass chamber room in the back, it was the lab's most recent addition. Specifically designed for Max's Rewind. Chloe always hated when Max had to go in there, because Chloe couldn't go in with her, and because Max had to be all hooked up to wires and shit. It was painful even for Chloe, who just had to watch.

Warren has his back turned to the girls while he pressed all sorts of buttons and grumbled to himself. Chloe debated scaring him, because he was facing away and it would be just so easy... But Max was a few steps ahead, she already knew that Chloe was going to do, before she did it, elbowing the taller girl when she saw the small smirk of mischief on her face.

Max was no fun. Chloe pouted, then opted for her second best option, she cleared her throat with emphasis, startling Warren out of his working phase. The boy whipped around to look at them, shaggy hair slapping his jaw. "Hey! You're here." He observed, abandoning the machine to greet the girls.

Chloe noticed the absence of his contacts, instead, he wore glasses. They were the ones that Chloe had only seen once or twice, they were deep blue and rectangular shaped, they really complimented his face, she'd give him that. And only that.

"Max, I'm glad you could make it." Warren was beaming, he pulled Max into a gentle hug, which Max lightly reciprocated. Chloe watched silently, and when Warren pulled away, the two nodded wordlessly at each other.

Despite the past, and Chloe always feeling that Warren was a threat to her and Max's relationship, the two had actually formed a quiet friendship. They both loved to geek over science shit, and shared a surprising amount of similarities, so they were kinda formed as friend, but didn't really talk about it. It was a mutual silence sort of thing.

"I've got everything set up, just in time, too." Warren commented, pressing the last few buttons to make the experiment process start. Chloe was pretty big into science, having been a Science athlete in Middle School, and Chloe could still quote the Periodic Table from memory.

Florine, Uranium, Carbon, Potassium, and Uranium again. Heh...

But this was too much for her, each time they did experiments with Max, she always laid back, she was there for moral support. She glanced over at Max, before the smaller girl nodded, and shedded her hoodie, placing it on the back of a chair behind her. "Let's get this started."

Warren was more than enthusiastic to begin the process, he grabbed a small clipboard-which Chloe was convinced was just for show, he didn't actually need it, did he?-and started asking questions, which he did every time. Questions like: "Have you eaten breakfast?" Max shook her head. "How much sleep have you gotten?" Max held up 5 fingers, which made Chloe's stomach clench.

After a few more questions, Warren seemed to get what he wanted, giving a curt nod. "Alright, Max. You know the drill." He sighed, and Max nodded, stepping into the small glass walled room. She put all of the equipment on herself, slipping on the small leather glove with wires attached, and some wires that could stick to her skull. She looked uncomfortable, as usual, and it made Chloe feel the same.

Warren shut the glass door and sealed it, which was the scariest part, why did he have to shut it like that? What if Max was hurt, or worse? They may not be able to get to her in time if these experiments failed, which was always possible.

Chloe wanted to shove her negative thoughts away, bury them in the back of her mind, where they couldn't be found, but it wasn't that easy. Relaxation had been rare ever since Arcadia, four years ago.

But, she watched silently as Warren pressed yet more buttons, causing small little bubbles on the glove on Max's right hand began to glow a soft blue. That was the glove beginning to track Max's blood flow, heart rate, and if anything mystical was flowing between her fingers. Normal stuff.

Chloe felt a small feeling swirl around her stomach, she ignored it. It wasn't the fear or anxiety about experiments going on in front of her, this feeling was more, painful, yet airy in a way. Chloe had been feeling this for four years, and each time it happened, she just blamed it on lady troubles. But it was happening more and more often, she couldn't blame it on anything mundane anymore.

Max didn't know, and that guilted Chloe way too much. But Max had way too many of her on problems going on to now focus on whatever weird stomach problems Chloe was having. It wasn't enough to make her puke, or bleed, or die, so it wasn't serious enough to alarm Max about.

Subtly, Chloe crossed her arms over her stomach, and warily watched her girlfriend in the glass room in front of her. Max looked comfortable, as she had done this many times before. But there was always that flicker of worry in her eyes that she had each time she was in the small chamber, Chloe tried not to dwell on it.

"How have your powers been, recently?" Warren asked, into a microphone that allowed Max to hear him, even through the soundproof walls. Chloe had a microphone exactly like his, for the same reason, but didn't like to use it, unless she really need to. She didn't like to think about that happening.

"More painful than normal." Max spoke into her own microphone, which was attached to the collar of her shirt. Of course, Warren and Chloe already knew that her Rewind powers had been bringing her more pain over these last few sessions, they still exchanged a look before Warren went back to the task at hand.

He looked a few things that were written on a laminated piece of paper, then nodded at it, and spoke into his microphone. "Right, we'll take it easy today, see how things go from there." Warren was a titchy kid, Chloe knew this, he was always a little shaky, jumped easy at small noises. But she had never seen him more aware than he was then.

Warren called up his first set. Which worried Chloe, because she knew what it was. He'd used this on the second time that the three had been doing these experiments. It was a risk-reward system, not unlike a test that you'd give to a rat. It was simple, yet so inhumane.

The idea of it, was that Warren would ask Max a question, then give her an answer, then she would Rewind, and have to relay the answer back to him.

If she didn't do it right, she would get a small shock.

Chloe absolutely hated it, it felt so wrong, like Max was a fucking animal rather than a human. But for some reason, Max enjoyed the test, saying that the tiny shock helped her Rewind kickstart if it had ever failed, or was too painful to execute. Even with that, Chloe was still sharply against it.

Warren gave himself a second to think of something to ask, he chewed his lip and sighed to himself, before he could think of something right. He finally looked up at Max, who stood awkwardly and waited for her moment to shine, the two of them exchanged glances for a brief silent moment. "So, Max." Warren started, his prompt already started. "How old was I, when-"

"Eleven." Max suddenly gasped out. Her arm extended out. "Eleven years old." Warren and Chloe exchanged looks once again, this time, they were distinctly more worried. Max was panting quietly into her mic, regaining her breath. Chloe looked over to see the smaller girl hunched, paler than before, with a small sweat developing on her forehead.

Chloe really didn't like this. "You okay in there, Maxie? We can quit if you don't want to do it." She proposed into her mic, it was more of a reassurance for herself, rather than the other girl, but she was included in it, also.

But Max was to stubborn for her own good, shaking her head. "No, I got it. Just been a while, that's all." She insisted, flexing her fingers in the leather glove that they were fitted in. Chloe searched in her girlfriend's eyes, for any sign that she would be hiding something, secretly wanting to leave, but she saw nothing.

Literally nothing. Max's eyes were completely blank. The udder lack of any emotion and feeling from them completely shook Chloe to the core, it wasn't like that tired look that someone gives when they're tired, this was a look of absolute nothingness. However, when Max turned to look at Warren, who had accidentally breathed too hard into his mic, she was back to normal, her eyes focusing and living.

Chloe couldn't help but let the anxiety of what she saw coil in her stomach, along with the lightly painful and foreign feeling that made her abdomen feel like it was dipped in ice water. She had really been worried about Max lately, the girl was having nightmares, and had a lack in interest for eating, or any activities.

She didn't even want to get started on the seemingly random nosebleeds, and random blackouts. But wherever the girl went, no matter what doctor they saw, Max never seemed whole anymore.

And Chloe didn't know if she would ever be whole again.

This Max wasn't the one she used to know, back in Arcadia. This was a new girl, a different girl. She wasn't happy, or a geek, or even a selfie taking hippie. She was a shadow. A silent version of a girl who Chloe used to know, a girl who's still in there. But between the splinters and the fractured pieces, Chloe couldn't find her, that girl she used to know.

So now, she lives inside an empty shell, the shell of the person who claims to be Max Caulfield. Chloe felt her own wounds from the storm, her guilt about being the reason why all this shit happened, if only she would have stayed dead in that bathroom with Prescott four years ago. If she would have just stayed fucking dead, then this wouldn't be a problem.

Chloe had always felt responsible, for the cause of the storm, and the cause of Max's pain, the reason her girlfriend hurt so much. Max always told her that it wasn't her fault, that Chloe didn't choose what happened. But that didn't make her feel any less responsible.

Chloe watched as Warren and Max prepared for the next go around, but she wasn't listening, her head was up in the clouds, where it could be found most of the time these days. Max called her out on it a few times, but that wasn't really fair, because Max was the master daydreamer.

Warren cleared his throat. "What is my favorite-"

"Green." Max cut him off again, looking a little strained. Not enough to be alarmed about, but enough to know that she had gotten a little shocked before hand. Chloe still hated this test, but Max loved it and that confused the fuck out of Chloe. However, she bit her lip, because these days, Chloe would do anything to make Max happy.

Pleased with the answer, Warren nodded. "You're looking pretty good right now." He mumbled distractedly, while looking at a small monitor that displayed Max's well being. "We can move onto a new test, if you want, or try this one more time."

Chloe wanted to speak for Max, she wanted to demand that they try a new one and leave this one behind. But Max didn't have it, she shook her head. "This one, one more time." She replied for determination, and Chloe grumbled lowly to herself. But apparently not low enough, since it caught Max and Warren's attention, she kept quiet after that.

Warren wrinkled his nose, and a feeling of deja-vu fell over Chloe. Something about this very moment seemed very wrong, and Chloe couldn't place why. Max's power always did that to people, made them feel like they had already lived this moment before.

But if Chloe was feeling that, then did Max just Rewind? Chloe looked back at her girlfriend, who stood quietly and patiently in the glass room, awaiting orders, her left arm was grabbing her right shoulder, caressing the muscle soothingly.

Max's power always frightened Chloe, because no one ever knew when she used it. She could have used it now, now, or ten seconds ago, and no one would have a fucking clue. It terrified Chloe, the ways that this power could be used to taking advantage of others, but Chloe knew Max enough to know that sh would never use to powers to manipulate Chloe, right?

Right?

Chloe wasn't sure anymore. Max had been acting all kinds of weird lately, Chloe wasn't sure if could trust the other girl anymore, but every day, she tried even harder to pretend.

Suddenly reminded of the sickening pain in her abdomen, Chloe wrapped her arms tighter around herself, trying to block out the pulsing pain that was coming from her gut. The feeling was so unnatural as it was painful.

Max scratched her nose as she waited for the final test to happen. Chloe was more than relieved at the idea of getting Max out of the shock chamber, and bringing her home, maybe running her a bath, then doing a few Uber runs to get some cash so the two of them could go out o a nice dinner together. After the week that Max had, she deserved it.

Warren scratched at his chin, a small fuzz patching there. Warren was the youngest in the room, and also the best at growing facial hair, at 20 years old (AN: 20ish?? I did some approximate math, because his school file said he was 16 in LiS) he was quite the champ, but he kept it tame enough.

All Max had to do was answer this question, using her Rewind, and the problem would be solved, they would record her progress, and all would be good. Chloe felt the sudden urge to bite her nails suddenly.

"My last question, Max." Warren started, being a purposeful tease and dragging the question out, which really made Chloe want to punch him. "What is the password to my phone?" He asked slyly, tilting his head. Of course he would make the last question he asked be the hardest, but Max could catch him with her Rewind.

She paused a beat before answering, which worried Chloe, but then she confidently answered: "462782." If Chloe wasn't mistaken, Max looked almost relieved that she was done, the previously taught muscle in her jaw was relaxed, she let her posture sink slightly. (But that was normal, Max always slouched these days)

But Warren was the opposite, he seemed to go rigid, his mouth pressing into a straight line. "No, its 238905." He answered quietly into the microphone, his fingers twitching and wiggling in an antsy fashion. Max stared at him. "But you told me." She argued, her expression turned angry. "You told me it was 462782."

Warren looked bewildered. " No I definitely wouldn't have, because that's not the truth, Max." He remained calm, unlike Max, who was obviously angry. She took a few impatient breaths before answering again. "Don't lie to me, Warren, you told me something completely different before giving me an electric shock." Her teeth were barred, she was seething. It freaked Chloe out.

"I wouldn't have told you something that was a lie." Warren repeated himself, his voice firming, but not yet growing angry, as Max's was. Chloe just stood and watched the whole situation go down, she had no idea what was happening, nothing to say. She only watched as the two bickered about what warren told her.

Max tore off the glove on her hand, the wires that stuck to her forehead, and grunted slightly at the sticky material that was torn off her skin. "Is this some kind of a joke to you?" She growled back at him with some force, she was starting to get real angry.

Chloe let out a small breath as the pain in her abdomen strengthened, the skin, and muscle was so cold that it was somehow painful. Chloe pressed her arms tighter into her abdomen while the other two around her continued to fight.

"Max, I'm not lying to you." Warren was defensive, he stepped back, despite Max posing no real threat to him. The whole situation freaked Chloe out, she stood helplessly and clenched the freezing cold pain in her stomach.

Warren let Max out of the chamber room, she seemed mad towards him, but just glared as she made her way over to Chloe, who's pain was starting to disappear. The smaller girl gave her a look that let Chloe know, it was time to go.


	12. Backwards

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, at the time in writing this, Before The Storm Episode 3 is out, but I haven’t had a chance to play it yet. So next chapter will probably have some referances to it. Next chapter is actually being written by my brother, but I’ll be translating it onto the story, so it may take a little longer dor next chapter to be out, depending how long my brother takes to write it.

Max

I have no idea what just happened.

We were just going through the standard tests, but then, Warren lied to me? He claimed he didn't but I know he did. I swear with every fiber of my being that I had the right pass code, but then Warren starts proving me wrong, and for what? To show that he was better than me? It makes no sense that he would tell me one thing, then one second tell me another.

I sit quietly in the car while Chloe and Warren bicker outside, I know I'm in trouble, for snapping at Warren, but why? It wasn't my fault that Warren cheated, that he told me me the truth before I Rewound, then lied afterwards, and I have no idea what he was trying to prove, but I'm going to find out.

Chloe and Warren end their argument, and Chloe starts walking over to the truck, she doesn't look overly impressed, but it's hard to tell, she's always looking neutral these days. With a rough yank of the door, Chloe slid into the drivers seat of the car and harshly closed the door behind her. She was definitely mad.

"Now, can you tell me what the hell that was, back there?" Chloe asks angrily, jamming her keys into the ignition. Her face was scrunched up and angry looking. I can't believe this, Chloe was taking Warren's side, over mine? Her girlfriend? I let out an unstoppable sound of disbelief and slumped back into my seat.

Chloe's also unimpressed. She lets the car rumble to life, but doesn't start driving just yet. "I want an answer, Max. You just completely flipped out on Warren back there." Chloe turns herself towards me, her blonde ponytail slung over one shoulder. I can't believe this. "He lied to me Chloe. He told me the answer, and when I used my Rewind, he told me something completely different."

Why was Chloe not taking my side? She should be taking my side, its me over Warren. Chloe only scoffs. "No, he didn't, Max."

What, was Chloe just gonna date him now? This is un-fucking-believable. "So you believe Warren over me, huh?" I growl, maybe harsher than I intended, but I don't care. It's shocking that Chloe would take Warren's side over mine, I never thought in a million years...

Chloe seems confused, her eyebrows furrowing, yet her eyes are soft. "What? Dude, no. warren is your... Your friend. He wouldn't just lie to you as a joke." Chloe's dead set on this, her fingernails slowly picking at a scab on her palm. I remember that scab, Chloe accidentally cut her hand with a knife in the kitchen a few weeks ago, I had to bandage her up. I swear I felt like her mother.

The memory lightens my chest. Chloe has been here for me, despite everything, how much of a brat I am, she's stuck with me for 4 whole years. She's always been stubborn, even stubborn enough to put up with my shit. So I had to give her that.

But why? She was siding with Warren, instead of me. I know I'm not wrong, there is no way I'm wrong. The Rewind has never failed me before, why now? Maybe because it's been a while since I used it?

After Chloe and I drove out of Arcadia that October day almost 4 years ago, I made some sort of invisible pact with myself, that me Rewind would never be used again, only if My life or Chloe's was in severe danger. And I never needed it. Chloe and I settled down tight in Seattle, she got a job as an Uber (fitting, as she decided her own work hours.) But I, I'm always bouncing between jobs.

It's not that I'm bad at any of the jobs that I've worked at. I just, need some special care these days. My head isn't always the best, my brain always stewing something up in the dark corners of my mind. The emotional trauma from everything that happened during that week in Arcadia Bay, plus the physical weight of my Rewind in my bones, all went sour in my head.

Chloe and I have tried several doctors, and all kinda of different medicines, but so far we found nothing, no relief for the constant pain in my consciousness. And I know it's stressing Chloe out, and I don't want her to be all worried over me, but I'm worried about myself, too.

She's trying, I get it. But I need to be on my own, I can't have her leaning over me and always crowding me, that won't help me out, I just need to figure this all out on my own.

"You don't have my power, Chloe." She doesn't. Chloe can't claim that she's right, that she knows what she is saying, yet she doesn't have a Rewind, does she? Chloe isn't the one that can alter time and space with her bare hands, so she doesn't know. "You can't claim to know everything that's going on in my life, how I feel, yet you don't."

Chloe closes her eyes, breathing harshly through her nose. "I know, I know. It's just... Do you actually think Warren would want to trick you like that, despite that he knows what you're going through?" God, this? Again? I open my mouth to counter, but Chloe beats me to the punch.

"No, no. Let me speak." Once Chloe knows that she has all authority, she continues. "Even if this had nothing to do with the Rewind." But it does. "Ah, ah." Chloe scolds, when I open my mouth for a second time, she waits until I've surrendered to speak again. "Even if this had nothing to do with the Rewind. Do you think Warren would deliberately set you up and lie to you like that?"

Well. He didn't have a reason to, I guess. Warren and I have been close ever since we met at Blackwell. We've had our face share of bickering and arguments since then, sure. But so have Chloe and I, but yet she hasn't set me up and lied to me yet. Right?

Not the point. I know Warren may not have had a prior reasoning to come after me, but it may have been a experiment reason. Ever since I've known Warren, he's always been a science nerd, you could never glue him away from his studies. So this could have been for research means, maybe he's testing me on my sanity now, or something.

No, I'm just going crazy, right? Maybe, but I can't deny myself, or the power that flows in my veins, I swear to myself that I heard warren say the individual numbers: 4-6-2-7-8-2. My Rewind wouldn't lie to me, it's apart of me, it would be the same as lying to myself. "Chloe, you just don't get it." I finally have my time to speak.

"My rewind power is apart of me. Warren had to be lying to me, because if he wasn't then it was the Rewind. But my Rewind can't lie, it's me, Chloe. I can't lie to myself like that. There's no other option." If there was I way I can make Chloe understand, I would use it, but she just doesn't get it, she's an outsider looking in, she can't judge for me and the Rewind. God, doesn't she get it?

Chloe straightens her otherwise sulky posture, she's starting to get a little fed up. Well, join the club. "People lie to themselves all the time, Max. Some people are broken, and they don't know how to fix themselves, so they lie to make it seem all okay, when it's not." Her mouth is slightly open, short and fast breaths pumping out.

I can't believe this. I know I'm not perfect, but I would hardly call myself broken. Why is Chloe going this far just to prove that I'm wrong? That her far fetched idea about my Rewind being busted is right, when she can't just admit that maybe Warren's values are a little corrupted nowadays? We have been seeing a lot less of Warren lately, only seeing him for these tests, maybe he's not the same guy that we think he is.

My mind has started to spiral, but why does Chloe not understand? Warren may not have planned it, but he still lied. Because the Rewind doesn't lie, the Rewind can't lie. But Chloe would never be able to understand that. "Broken? I. Not broken, Chloe."

Suddenly, an overwhelming cold starts to brush my skin, seeping into my bloodstream. I lean over and flick on the heat, fighting a shiver as it threatens to crawl up my spine.

Chloe knows she's fucked up. She cringes slightly, and shakes her head. "I didn't say you were broken, Max. I..." she trails off trying to say anything she can to justify herself. The heat isn't helping, the cold feeling crawls across my skin despite the tremendous amount of hot air bursting through the vents, I shiver, unable to stop myself.

Across from me in the drivers seat, I can tell Chloe is done fighting. And I want to be, too. But there is an unstable feeling in my chest, a roaring anger that I want to stop, but it just keeps going, consuming any of my efforts to stop it. I've noticed this angered fury has been present for a while, around since the Storm, and it's changed how I am, made me more angry in these four years than probably my whole life.

"I'm trying the best I can, Max." Chloe sighs in defeat, as she finally finds the words she's been scrambling for. Her tone is sad and sober and it really freaks me out, she's never this serious, ever. "I know it's been hard. The Arcadia Bay incident hasn't been easy on anyone, Max. And I... I know it's been tough on you especially.

"I know your power, the one that's been hurting you. And I want to help, you need to let me help, Max. I'll never stop trying until our wounds are healed. I know that's impossible, that day will never come. But it's really nice to think about." After she finished, Chloe goes completely silent, waiting for any sort of response from me.

It means a lot that Chloe is trying, it really does. She's an amazing girlfriend, better than I deserve. But she needs to understand that she can't help, I need to figure this out on my own. Chloe barely knows anything about the Rewind, so she can't be the one that tells me how to use it. She can't put herself in my shoes, because she has no idea what it feels like.

I suddenly need to get out of this car. With Chloe setting there, a confused yet angry look on her face and I just can't be here. I shake my arm a few times, a sudden shock of coldness shoots through it, before I unbuckle my seat belt. "I... I'm going to walk back." I mumble my head starts to feel tingly and I need to get out. Chloe instantly looks regretful. "Max... I'm..."

"I'm walking." I insist angrily. My head feels light and a cold feeling has started to settle through my whole body, I can't feel my fingers anymore. Chloe looks scared, but she doesn't disagree with me, she knows not to. A slow and tentative nod comes from her. "Okay. But keep your phone on, okay?"

It means something that she at least wants me to be safe, but I don't need her doctoring, I'm an adult now but she makes me feel like a kid by always leering over my shoulders, just like she is now. After I few tries, I manage to push the car door open, inhaling deeply as I come into contact with fresh air.

I glance back at Chloe, who sits defeated in the chair, and lets me go, though the look in her eyes let's me know that she's very reluctant to do so. I don't want Chloe to feel upset, but if I stay any longer, I might say something I don't mean, and hurt her even more, she doesn't get that I'm doing this for the better of the both of us.

I close the car door gently, but even despite that Chloe flinches, it looks like she's about to cry at any second, which makes my stomach twist, but I can't stay here any longer.

The day turned sour while we were in that lab, a deep grey blanket of clouds covers the sky, promising rain. I absolutely love rain, it's so calming and soothing, it may be able to wash away this funk I'm going through. I can already smell it in the air.

Without looking back. I start down the sidewalk, leaving Chloe and the car behind me, feeling relief now that I've separated from them. But it is a little too chilly outside, I zip up my hoodie a little further and pull up my hood, covering my cold ears.

It's so relieving to get out of that car and into the cold. That artificial cold feeling in my veins started to fade, but now the cold from the air seeps in, making me feel comforted, in a strange way.

The apartment isn't far from me, I know the way from various walks. Moving my legs is the only thing that can calm me down these days, in a time where anything and everything completely shakes me to my core, I need some kind of release, other than the medicinal pot that I smoke every once and a while.

When I got my green card, a few years ago, Chloe was real happy, so now we could grow pot regularly, and Chloe wouldn't have to buy some from dealers, but I've been worried about Chloe lately. All the smoking she's done has really caught up with her lungs, she's always heaving and she can't make it very far these days, I know she's trying to quit, and its hypocritical of me to say that, then go smoking weed, but I use it medically, Chloe always did it for fun.

Speaking of... The back of my throat is itching and my nerves feel high strung, I usually don't smoke in public, but I'm legally allowed to... 

I grab a joint from the bag in my pocket and light it, feeling bad, I shouldn't be doing this outside with many people around, but it's the only thing that keeps me calmed down, this and walking. These things are so strong, I never finish a joint in one go, I always have a few half finished ones that I pick at. Chloe offers to finish them all the time, but I don't like condoning her smoking habits.

Oh hypocritical Max, you just can't stop, can you? I start to feel a little dizzy the closer I get to home, it's probably the weed making it's way through my system, I'm already calmer, the buzzing anxiety in my chest slowing at a fast rate, this is the only reason why I tolerate weed.

Okay, sure, I smoked a little before I got this card, but that was experimental, and Chloe figured it would keep my nerves at bay it does.

The apartment building is close, so I finish a few more puffs of my Joint before I rub out out on my sleeve. This shirt isn't ready important, it's old, so I don't care if there's ash stains on it. And I tuck the unfinished weed into my small joint bag, to be smoked another day.

The apartment building Chloe and I requires a pass code to get into, a little weird, if you ask me, but no one did, so I punch in the code with my thumb, and push open the door when I hear the loud beep that says I'm in, and I head right for our room.

I've never really talked to our neighbors before, but I know Chloe has. Their names are Aei, and Lena, I believe. They seem nice, from the conversations between them and Chloe that I've heard, but I don't like talking to new people, really.

Their room is quiet when I walk by, which is kind of surprising, seeing as they're usually always doing something, but it is a Friday, so they're probably out and working before the weekend. I know that Lena works at the library (thanks again, eavesdropping skills) but I'm unsure what Aei does.

The apartment that Chloe and I live in is at the very end of the hall, it always freaks me out, since it's the furthest from the elevator, and I would need to give a good sprint if I needed to get there in time, but Chloe tries to assure me that I would never need to race anyone to the elevator, though you never know...

I stuff my hand in my pocket and feel around for my keys. My head is still swimming and I feel sick to the stomach, maybe I smoked a little too much weed. I should probably just take a cold shower and the feeling will go way.

When I finally snatch my keys, I pick through the ring with several different keys on it, I know that the key to the apartment is the only black one there, I knew that I would always get confused when trying to find it, so I made sure to make it different from the others so I would know.

Once inside I can quickly deduce that Chloe isn't here, because the place is dead quiet, not a sound to be heard, Chloe is a noisy girl, you can hear her from a mile away. That's really one of the reasons that I love her, she's loud and messy, but she makes up for it with undivided attention and devotion.

I start to feel... Bad for snapping at her, I know she just wants to help, but its not easy. I know I'll apologize when I see her again, I owe her that much. I immediately discard my things by the door, I know Chloe hates it when I do that- which is surprising, given her history- but I'll grab them once I've showered and calmed down.

The bathroom is directly across from our bathroom, which is useful in many ways than one. I grab a towel from beside our bed and march off to the bathroom. It's not a very big room, but its enough to bathe, so it fits.

I slowly strip my clothes, feeling a cold shiver run up my spine as air hits my bare skin. Not only that, but the cold feeling has returned. A chilling sensation that makes me feel like there are ice particles coursing through my veins.

Maybe this shower won't be so cold after all, I struggle with the tap for a few seconds, as it can be pretty finicky, then I jump back when the sudden water flow bursts from the pipe. I should have been expecting it, but the suddenness still freaked me out, not unlike everything else around the world.

I think about my medicine, sitting in a cabinet in the kitchen, and how it just doesn't work. I was optimistic with this one, that maybe it would be the one to truly help with my episodes, but yet, I was disappointing again.

My arm throbs with an intense feeling of cold even after I get under the hot water. I should probably talk to the doctor about this, there's a chance it was just a side effect of the medicine I was taking. Though I've never heard of an anti-psychotic medicine that has a side effect of, coldness, if that's even what I could call it. I had no idea what to name this feeling.

All I know, is that its on the same arm as I use for the Rewind, there's a chance that the two are connected, but I really doubt it. I only got the feeling after the Storm, I definitely would have felt it before if it was Rewind connected.

The nausea began to kick in again, swimming in my stomach and even causing a light pressure behind my eyes. When was the last time I ate? That may be playing  a role in it, but I actually can't remember the last time I had anything proper to eat. I'm definitely grabbing a snack after this shower.

The combined feeling of the cold in my arm, and the grueling feeling in my stomach makes me a little woozy, I lean against the shower wall for support and take a few breaths in, then out. My mind is swimming in deep waters, my arm was turned into an icicle. The sudden feelings of both hit so fast that I barely have any time to react.

Then everything gets so overwhelming that I black out.


	13. Slippery Slope

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy New Year suckers! Here's to 2018 being a great year! This chapter didn't go quite as planned, and I wrote it in 3 days, because I just started working, and didn't stop until my fingers were numb, so..
> 
> PS: 1000 reads?! Thank you all so much, and to those who have stuck around with my BS for 13 chapters, it means a lot, thank you

Chloe

Chloe was not happy when she got home.

First, she had the situation with Warren that she still had to deal with. Then she had gotten a call from her neighbor Lena, to hear that Max had passed out in the shower. It was all giving her a headache.

After Max had stormed out of the car, after the meetup with Warren, Chloe just needed a rest. The past few days- Hell, the past few years- had been really stressful. She knew Max was upset, and in a way, Chloe really couldn't blame her. The guilt from The Storm was still resting on Chloe, she couldn't even imagine how Max was feeling about it.

But they were supposed to be a team, Max and Chloe against the world, right? Max promised that her and Chloe would be united, that Max made that sacrifice for Chloe, just for Chloe. But Max wouldn't let Chloe in, she boxed the punk out. Leaving Chloe by herself.

Chloe had tried everything, she was patient, so patient. But she had been waiting too long. Max was taking her meds, seeing doctors, and Chloe was there to help her cope, but nothing. The girl was perpanently scarred and if it didn't get better soon, Chloe knew that Max would take her down, too.

Some days, the pressure of Max's impeding breakdown kept Chloe awake, it made her want to pull her hair out. The only ways she could cope was dinking, or driving, that's why she had the uber job. And a dully stocked alcohol cabinet.

Chloe knew that she was being self-indulgent. Max had sacrificed the lives of many, and her own sanity to keep Chloe alive, but sometimes Chloe wished that Max hadn't have. She wished that Max was selfless enough to kill Chloe. Then they wouldn't have been like this. Max may be distressed, yes. But she wouldn't be guilty, she wouldn't be broken. And she wouldn't be taking Chloe with her.

After half an hour of just sitting in her car, looking at Max was before she stormed out, Chloe threw up. She jjust opened the car door and threw up bile all over the sidewalk. Her head feeling light and spinning. Everything was so hard, so hard that it was physcially breaking down both girls. They were both having illusions (thought Max's weren't a surprise, the trauma that the girl suffered would do that to someone) But Chloe was spacing too, seeing things. Like her long dead father.

She tried not to do it aloud, but Chloe blamed Max's rewind for the problem. After that incident, the rewind power had gotten a mind of its own. Acting when Max didn't want it to, slowly infecting Chloe and making her mad, too.

Chloe was pretty sure that she had fallen asleep for a while, her head resting against the steering wheel, because there was an imprint on her forehead, and a blank spot in her memory. Not unlike rge times she got drunk, drinking until her own mind faded, and she woke up the next time with her head exploding and a black hole in her memory. She started to embace that feeling these days.

Drinking became a hobby for her recently, with all this stress, she found it as a way to cope. She didn't smoke pot as much anymore (at lwast that Max knows of) because her smokers lungs were starting to catch up to her, and that habit would kill her faster than the drinking would.

She was reverting back to when she was 15 and 16 years old, drinking to forget the memory of her father. But this time, she was drinking to mourn Max Caulfield, the old Max that had died on that cliff 4 years ago, when they watched the hurricane slam into the coast of Arcadia Bay, and completely tear it up.

A drink sounded amazing at that moment, it's not like Max would care, she was pissed off at home, probably doping up, because she was the one that was allowed to. It peeved Chloe that Max could smoke weed, legally and between the two girls. But she scolded Chloe for smoking it, saying it would 'hurt her' then turn around and crack a window, like Chloe wouldn't smell it.

There was a bar not very far away from where Chloe was parked. She could grab a few drinks, enough to give her a buzz and let the tight bamd of stress around her fall away. But she would havw to drive, and Max wasn't with her incase she crashed, or got pulled over, so she couldn't drink.

Chloe couldn't lie, things weren't always bad. The two girls still had friction, there were happy moment, and romantic ones, (like the sex the other night) but they were greatly overshadowed by all the hellish times. When Max had her breakowns, or when the fough enough that the neighbors had to come in and stop them, when Chloe drank so obsessively that it would kill her breain and burn holes in her memory.

Was Chloe's life worth all of this pain and suffering? Chloe was asking this to herself more and more these days.

Chloe really hated to move when she was upset, that's how her and Max differed, Max always paced and walked around when she was upset. But Chloe needed to sit still. Sure, driving was okay, but when she was upset, Chloe stuck in one place, and sulked on her own. So Chloe stayed in her car for a long time, probably hours, before she headed home.

And that's when she got the call.

Her neighbour, Lena, called in a hurry. Apparently she heard the shower running for a long time (So that could tell Chloe that she was in her car for a long time) and went to check on Max, only to find her passed out under the running water.

She speculated that the water may have been too hot and it caused Max to black out, but Chloe knew that wasn't the case. Max had been passing out a lot recently, nosebleeds and lightheadedness, followed by complete blackouts, ranging from minutes, to hours.

Despite being upset with the brunette, Chloe sped home in a frenzy to get to the situation. Lena had been talking really quickly so Chloe couldn't pick up the exact details, but she knew it wasn't good.

While she was speeding down the road, Chloe couldn't belive she was in this situation. Max Fucking Caulfield was causing trouble again. Chloe was risking her damn life for this girl once again, because Max was having another mental breakdown, a crack in her mentality that broke Chloe too.

By the time she got to the apartment complex, her fear had turned into anger. This had happened so many times before that it was a usual drill. Max seemed like a baby who cried in her crib a thousand times and wouldn't shut the fuck up no matter how many times you attended to her.

So, yeah. Chloe wasn't overly happy when she walked into the apartment room.

She spotted Aei first, she was kneeled on the couch with her eyebrows pnched together in worry. She was such a nice girl, she didn't need to be dragged into Max's shit, Chloe felt pity for her. Then Chloe found Max.

The girl was now clothed, wrapped in a towel on the couch, her hair was soaked and she was staring at the floor, unmoving. Chloe felt bad at her for a moment, but that feeling vanished in a moment. Chloe was sick and tired of this.

Aei looked at Chloe, her eyes questioning. Chloe didn't say anything, just jerked her head towards the door, as if to say, "Thanks, but I got it from here." Aei understood the message, and stood up, placing a hand on Max's shoulder, who flinched slightly from the surprise of the feeling. Chloe watched Aei sloely leave the room, and listened to the door click into place.

Neither girls spoke, they both sat in uncomfortable silence for seconds that felt dragged into minutes. Chloe wasn't sure how to start, because she knew that she was the one that had to start, Max wouldn't do it for her.

"Are you okay?" Chloe started. Yeah, she was mad at Max, this situation wasn't ideal, ut Max was her girlfriend, who had unexplicably passed out in the shower, she wanted to make sure the girl was okay. The brunette didn't answer for a while, she just sat still, wrapped in a towel and trembled very lightly. Finally she croaked. "No."

Chloe couldn't surpress a sigh that slipped out her lips. When were the two girls actually okay these days? It was a stupid question. Chloe kept telling herself that she needed to keep her cool, that this wasn't Max's fault what was happening. But it was so hard, all this stress and pain was tensing Chloe up.

Max still barely moved from her spot on the couch, still shivering and staring at the floor with deep intent, each shiver that racked her body timed with the pulsing in Chloe's brain. Each sharp pulse sent a shot of absolute cold through Chloe's brain, and into the rest of her body.

"I... I'm sorry." Max mumbled from her spot, finally talking on her own. She sounded terribly misrable, and it made Chloe's stomach churn. It was either that, or the nausiating feeling of stress, and the aching cold that was making her arm sore.

Chloe pressed her forehead into her hand and took a few breath to calm herself. She was mad at Max for this, yes. But she had to remember that Max didn't want this either, it wasn't her fault, they had to be a team, both girls together. "It's okay, Max. It wasn't your fault." Chloe responded, a sentence she was used to saying by now, she sounded like a broken record.

The smaller girl nodded and continued to shiver, the sight made Chloe sad, she never liked to see her girlfriend like this. She crossed the room and placed a hand on Max's shoulder. The shorter girl looked up, her eyes were puffy and had traces of tears. The sight was a sad one, something that Chloe was seeing more often, a reminder of all th shit that Max went through, the shit that she didn't deserve.

Chloe then sunk down to sit beside the bunette on the couch, the towel was damp, and so was her hair, but otherwise she seemed rather dry. Chloe slowly took the towel off Max and used her own body heat to warm Max's shockingly cold skin.

Small tremors rocked through Max, and Chloe did what she could to calm her down. Max made the biggest sacrifice of her life to keep Chloe alive, alive and with her. So Chloe would do anything to protect Max, sure there were good times, and bad times, and Chloe was still mad, but Chloe needed to remember Max's sacrifice every time something happened, every time things got bad.

It was hard, because Chloe was such a hotheaded person, and she knew that, her patience was always wavering, and it was tough to keep her cool when Max was always breaking down. But she had to remind herself of why this was happening, that Max was a broken person and she couldn't help whatw as happening to her.

"Just... it was just so overwhelming." Max whined into the fabric of Chloe's shoulder, her shaking had calmed down quite a bit, now she was just curled up into the older girl's sleeve, her breathing was even and long. Chloe was confused, what was overwhelming? The stress from her trauma? Chloe could agree. "What was overwhelming, Max?" She needed as much detail as she could, finding out why Max had passed out could help solve the problem.

Max paused for a while, her skin was still really cold, was Max taking a cold shower? That's the only way her skin could possibly still be this cold. "I was in the shower, and everything hurt, especially my arm..." Max recounted slowly, and Chloe nodded reassuringly against her arm. That flare of anger that was in her chest on the way here had passed, her anger always does that. It burns brighter than it ever for a few minutes, then gets flooded until it's gone in a mattter of minutes.

The younger girl stared down in her lap, whispering quiet. "T-Then, a big blank spot in my memory, that finshed with Lena came inti the bathroom in a panic. I..." Max faded off, pressing her head onto Chloe's shoulder.

Did she say it was something about her arm? "Which arm was hurting, Max?" Chloe asked, wrapping arn ar around the brunette and holding her close, to comfort her. Max mewled lightly, showing that she appreciated the gesture. Despite the situation, Chloe cracked a smile and prressed Max closer. It was small moments like these that made life worth living, when Max and Chloe were okay, and close. No one was hurt, or mentally damaged.

"My right hand. My Rewind hand." At least Max was starting to talk more coherent she was calming down and taking a few deep breaths. Chloe began to breathe the same was too, trying to keep herself relaxed, because someone here needed to be clear headed, and it was obvious that Max wasn't that person, Chloe didn't think she ever would be again.

Of course it was her Rewind hand, it somewhat made Chloe a little more relaxed to find out that it was just her Rewind. Chloe came into this situation thinking it was something they hadn't known, that there were even more problems were arising. The Rewind had always been an issue, sure this wasn't anything to ignore, but it wasn't any big threat by now.

Chloe rubbed Max's arm and pulled the smaller girl closer to her. The brunette yawned against the fabric of her shoulder, and closed her eyes. Chloe didn't really blame her, it had been a long few days and she knew that Max hadn't been getting the best sleep, her nightmares and random midnight walking always woke Chloe up, and Choe had been keeping a tab on it.

It was best to let Max get some proper rest right now, so she was reset and the two girls could investigate the situation in more depth later. It was better to tackle it when they were both in the proper shape, than to scramble and stress themselves even more now.

Chloe grabbed a blanket and draped it over both of their shoulders, a comfort that Max pressed herself into. Chloe wanted to make sure Max had fallen asleep before she moved their setup to the bedroom, any sudden movements would startle the fragile girl and not give them any resting time.

The slow rise and fall of Max's chest was rhythmic against Chloe's shoulder, a careful pattern that started to calm Chloe down, and vaporize her stress away. Chloe's lungs felt sticky, full of smoke. This is what Max always got upset with her about, she wanted Chloe to quit so that her lungs weren't damaged beyond a certain point.

It was admirable that Max tried to hard, but smoking was Chloe's way of coping from the past.

The events of the past few days suddenly hit Chloe really hard, she was overwhelmed with everything her and Max had been facing. After her and Max settled in this apartment building, things had calmed down, but it wasn't until recently that everything had started to fall apart. This moment reminded her of when things used to be okay, when this stress wasn't eating both girls alive.

Before she could stop herself, Chloe found herself drifting off to sleep, just like the girl beside her. And when she woke up, Chloe was not on her couch, and Max wasn't at her side. Chloe was in Arcadia Bay.

And Rachel was sitting beside her.

The two of them were by the lighthouse, sitting on the bench at sunset. Something about this setting felt... familiar. Rachel was wearing a navy green jacket with several patches, the British flag, with a British slang word on it, and her left sleeve was stitched up on the bottom.

Chloe suddenly knew where she was. She was 7 years in the past, the day that Rachel Amber met her real mother. Chloe couldn't believe she actually remembered this day, it was so long ago. But how was she here now?

Was it some sort of dream, or did Chloe somehow get put in the past? With Max and the current situation, the latter was definitely possible.

"And I can't believe my dad would just lie to me like that." Rachel sighed, shaking her head at the ground, before she looked back up at me. "Thank you, Chloe. For telling me everything, for coming clean about what that monster was doing."

Rachel's smile was one of the most beautiful things Chloe had ever seen, the aspiring model was just so full of life and light, she had so many beautiful features. Her hazel eyes, long slender fingertips, the curves of her body, no wonder why Chloe was completely infatuated with her.

Though, it was weird to think of her this way, when this version on Rachel was 15, and Chloe was 23. Well, she wasn't 23 right now, she was inside her teenage body. It felt weird to be back in this thing, there was a bunch of different... feelings inside of her.

Her organs felt off, and Chloe felt as if she had shifted inside her skin, and not it just didn't fit right anymore. It was a nauseating feeling that probably came with Max's rewind ability. Was it her that was causing this weird dream or time travel? Chloe had to figure out what was going on.

Rachel sighed and looked at the setting sun in the distance, her focus seemed blurred, and her mind looked elsewhere. "Chloe, I..." The blonde sighed, trying to say something, but then recalling her words as fast as she started them. It took her a few more tries to speak her mind. "I want to get out of here, just the two of us."

Chloe had heard this one before... It stabbed at her guts, hearing those words from Rachel. Because of course, it never happened. If they had made it out, Chloe probably wouldn't be where she was in that moment, Chloe would probably be in LA with Rachel, living the life and getting high every night.

And she probably would die of an OD on her apartment floor, wasted because she lived life without a care. Chloe wasn't sure if it was better this way, better that Rachel and her never made it out. A part of her mind clung to Rachel, and the other part wanted to be free of her spell.

"I know you do, Rachel. But I don't think we can." Chloe answered, the complete opposite of what she would have said 7 years ago. If she was right, and she somehow did get transported into the past, she would be fucking around with it, and ultimately change the present. Chloe was hoping she was wrong.

Rachel looked back at Chloe, pure surprise on her face. "What?" She asked, as if she was bewildered with what Chloe just said, she probably was. And Chloe was ready for an argument with Rachel, one of many they had.

"Chloe, I don't belong here, and neither do you. Let's get out of here and live the life we've always deserved." Rachel reached forward and took Chloe's hands in hers, a soft gesture that Rachel always used. She was a very physical person, using physical contact as means to get closer to someone, it was always comforting.

But Chloe persisted and shook her head. "No, Rachel." She she sighed aloud, and pulled her hands from Rachel's grip. "This is my home, this where I belong, and Max-" Chloe didn't get the time to continue before Rachel cut her off. "Max Caulfield, your friend? What about her, she's dead, isn't she?"

Wait, what?

Max... dead? That wasn't right. This wasn't right. This had to be a dream, not the past, right? Unless Max went back in time and monumentally fucked up, getting herself killed. God, Chloe wished that wasn't the case.

"Dead? No, she's not." Chloe insisted, Max didn't die, because she was just on the couch with Max, cuddling close to her with a blanket. That was wrong, so wrong. "Not a funny joke, Rachel. Cut it out."

The smaller girl seemed confused, she looked back at Chloe with a puzzled look. 'It was all over the news, remember? You locked yourself in your room for like a day when you heard it." The insistent look on Rachel's face made a weight drop in Chloe's stomach, this wasn't real. It had to be a dream, it had to.

Suddenly, Chloe noticed something that may have been there before. A small crimson patch on Rachel's left arm, it was blood, seeping through her jacket. That wasn't right, Rachel was all stitched and bandaged, she didn't bleed after she was taken from the hospital. But yet, the blood kept oozing, until Rachel's entire arm, and part of her side were covered in blood. The blonde didn't seem to notice, or care.

"Max is dead, Chloe. And you're next." Rachel snarled, before jumping on Chloe, and producing a sharp knife, covered in blood.


	14. Distorted Reality

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I’ve got the plan for this book done, as you may see, I updated the total chapter count. That’s number may fluctuate depending on how things go.
> 
> I have several plot details hammered down
> 
> The ghost of Chloe’s voice in Max’s head will have an explanation   
> Chloe’s strange behaviour will have an explanation  
> So will Max’s  
> Characters previously thought to be dead will make a return
> 
> So I’m glad I’ve gotten all that out of the way... enjoy the chapter!

Max

I wake up on the couch alone, Chloe's gone. A small note rests on the table in front of where I'm curled on the couch with a blanket, she went out grocery shopping to clear her mind, and I could call Lena if I had any problems, anyway.

My head feels heavy, and my eyelids have a hard time staying open. How long was I asleep for? The sun outside had set, it isn't mid afternoon anymore, it's almost completely black out there. It was freezing in the apartment, once I take the blanket off of my shoulders.

The apartment is so quiet that my ears are ringing, it usually has this effect whenever Chloe is gone, she really has a way of making a room a lot louder. The first thing I start to notice is that I'm starving, when was the last time I ate? Probably yesterday.

I dig around in the fridge to find an adequate meal, but of course, it's empty. That's probably why Chloe went out grocery shopping. The only thing in there is a jar of canned oysters. Chloe's oysters, as she always pointed out, but I didn't care, because it's not like I would want to eat them anyway.

_Throw them out._

I let out an audible sigh. Why can't that freaky Chloe voice leave me alone for just a day?

_Because I don't want to._

It's been with me for four years, and I don't even know why, I guess I've just come to live with it, probably having to do with my rewind powers and how they're connected to Chloe, because I used them to save her, over, and over again. All her voice does is just sit around and mock me, or it mocks Chloe, which is odd, because isn't it supposed to be Chloe?

_Don't talk about me like I'm not here, dude._

I ignore her voice again, last thing I want to do is talk to some ghostly version of my girlfriend's voice in my head.

Huffing and closing the fridge door, I leave the kitchen, I know I'll have to wait until Chloe is home to be able to eat anything. She better be quick, because I can only last so long without food, she knows that.

I know Chloe is upset with that, you don't need an expert to figure that out. But it's not like I'm controlling what's happening to me, I don't want this to happen. Everything was perfect, for a few years I really felt like we had gotten away with it, that we stared death right in the face, and won.

But now I know that everything really does have consequences, and death really doesn't like it when you tempt it. I rub my face out of pure habit and sigh, this isn't something we can avoid, delusions and blackouts were happening more often for me now, and something tells me they won't just stop.

Chloe can't see that, though. She isn't me, she can't see inside my mind, she can't truly know what is happening. It's so unfair that she judges me for my actions, without even knowing the fully story. She isn't me, she can't decide for me.

_It's Chloe's, fault._

I try to swat the voice away, but it burns a hole in my chest. It starts a fire from my head to my toes and I can't do anything about it. This all can't be Chloe's fault, can it? She didn't want any of this to happen more than I did. So I can't just start blaming all of this on Chloe.

But who else are you blaming it on? It can't be yourself. And what has she done for you, huh? She should be so grateful that you spared her life, she should be on her knees!

You know, I've had about enough of your crap. You have been in my head for years now, and nothing good has come out of it. I thought you'd be with Chloe, on her side, since you are her, right?

_No, I'm not!_

A jolt of pain shoots through my skull. I guess Chloe doesn't like being called Chloe, then. I prepare myself for another jolt, another round with the bickering voice. But it doesn't come back.

Finally, a few moments of peace in the crazy storm that is my life. I take a few deep breaths for the first time in what it feels like years, clearing my brain, which still feels like it has a dense fog over it, and letting the numbing silence of the empty apartment soothe me back into a calmed state.

When I open my eyes, I suddenly realize that there's nothing to do. Chloe is gone, I don't have work for a few days, because I'm on temporary leave, (don't want to talk about it) nothing good is on tv. I'm just in a bare apartment.

I could try to just go to sleep, but after just being passed out for a few hours, I'm not feeling very tired anymore. The fridge is empty, so I can't eat the boredom away. That leaves my only option as hitting up a smoke. After the shower incident, I deserve some mellow right now.

I know I already had a smoke earlier today on my walk home, but stressful times cause for more smoking. I know Chloe used to do it all the time, so she understands. But when I reach into my back pocket, it's empty.

Damn it, where did I leave that stupid bag? I swear it has to be somewhere around here. Maybe my bedroom? When I get in there, I start the search for a joint bag.

On the dresser? No. Inside the dresser? No. Under my pillow? No. Under the covers? No. On Chloe's side of the bed? No.

I grunt in frustration and sit on the edge of the bed. This is definitely not the time for this. I really need to dull myself out before I have another freak out, I've been doing it a lot lately. I know Chloe frowns upon my weed smoking habits, but it's medicinal. The doctors gave it to help my fear, my pain.

Plus, I think it's unfair that Chloe is judging me for weed, despite her past. That's a rude thing to say, yeah. But I mean, it's true. Chloe was a burnout pot smoker when we reunited, and I didn't mind it then, hell, I don't mind it now. But the fact that she's being hypocritical towards me, that kind of ticks me off.

There is a sudden shuffling sound coming from the living room. Even from my bed I could distinctly tell it was human, Chloe was finally home. Light and careful footsteps made their way over to the bedroom, but I keep my back facing the doorway and continue to rummage through my dresser.

When the footsteps pause, then stop right out the door, I know Chloe is standing at the doorway, watching me go through my shit, so I don't bother turning around when I ask, "hey, you seen my smokes?"

I continue to search in the silence that follows, is Chloe seriously silent treatment-ing me right now? I swear she acts like a child sometimes.

But when I turn to look at Chloe, it's not Chloe I find. Instead, Rachel Amber is standing in my bedroom doorway.

I scramble for a second, then blink a few times encase the thing I just saw was a trick of my vision. But when I open my eyes, Rachel Amber is still here. She looks so much different than she did in the pictures, here she looks... Real. She is so vibrant and beautiful, no matter why Chloe was absolutely in love with her.

"No, Max. I haven't seen them." She answers the question that wasn't directed to her, and moves further into my bedroom. I have an instinct to move back, to separate myself from the illusion of a dead girl, but I don't- I can't, she just looks too real. She looks way too real.

Words get caught in my throat before I can let them out. "What are you doing here?" My voice sounds pathetic, but I'm scared. It's not every day that you see a dead girl standing in your bedroom, very not dead. Rachel chuckles slightly, and the feather on her ear bounces along with her chest. "I could ask you the same thing."

Why? This is my house, my apartment. Rachel is the one intruding, even if she isn't real, even if she's a ghost made up by my mind.

"Oh, I'm not a ghost, Max. I'm r҉̨̬̜̘e̗̤̣a̡̻̺͉̙̗̭̺̦͝ļ̬ͅ ." 

Suddenly, stones dig into my skull. I cry out and cover my ears, trying to block out the horrible sound of her warped voice, but it still gets in, the sound is inside my head, in my brain.

My vision starts to warp slightly, but I hold on, I hold on to where I am. I can't see Rachel anymore, the shape of her figure is entirely black, cancelled out by the bright lights of the hallway, who turned off the bedroom light?

My senses start to come back, the blur is fading and that awful noise is dulling out. But before I can recover, Rachel is suddenly beside me, pushing me down into the bed. The sudden feeling catches me by surprise and I limp onto the bed, trapped between it, and Rachel's cold hands.

" Y҉͟o̡u͝͝ ͡d҉͟o̴͜n̨'̸͞t̡ ͜d͟͏̵e̡s̶er̛͘v́҉e͡ ͏̧t̶o̸҉ ҉b̵̵͞e ͡h̷è͘͜r̨e̛,͏͞ M͘a͏x̸͢ " The horribly warped voice digs into my brain, and causes a searing pain to ripple through my body so hard I almost scream. I grit my teeth and fight against the incredibly strong girl, whatever this is, I need to get out of it fast.

Rachel focuses her grip, pinning me down further and moving her hands to my neck. I begin to gag and choke, fighting against the iron grip for some air. "You took Chloe from me, Max. I deserved her more than you ever did." She tightens her grip, and my vision starts to waver. "Ḿ̪̼̥͍̗̕o̺̱̥̫̬͇̣̥̫͢r̷͍͖e̵̵̫͢ ̜̞̮̻̥̪̤͠t̨̼h̖͉̱̗̗̭a̧͇͇n̻͢ ̷̴̩̼̞̮͕̤̥ͅy̶͎̦͕̕ó҉̠͉̱͈̗̱ͅu̵̯̖̘͙̜̕ ̛̞̹͈͈̱̼̦͎̮è̵͙̠̹̥̻̗͝v̘ȩ͙̪̟̥̬̠͚̺̺̕r͔̜̭̙̦͢ ̹̣̥̻̜̬͘d͈̯͓͈̦͈̫͖́͢i҉̷̥̭̭d̺̳͇̤̯̭̳!̠͎̬͚"

 

My body starts to weaken when the blast of shrill noise hits my ears. This all happened so fast that my body can't get used to it. I continue to struggle harder as my mobility gets lower, Rachel has trapped me, strangling me on my own bed and I can't get out.

The girl above me, and hisses in my ear, the sound she makes isn't at all human, it causes my to tense up and tremble. This is a dream, this has to be a dream. This isn't real, this isn't real. I've never had something like this happen to me, I've never felt this sort of torture before.

I manage to get some of the weight off my throat. "Rachel, stop. P-please." I struggle as she forces herself harder down in my windpipe, cutting off all ability for me to breathe.

In a desperate attempt to fight back, I get hostile. Using my nails and hands to swipe at Rachel, I need to get out of her grip before I die, and that will be soon. "Stop..." I groan weakly with what little breath I have back, and continue to use my nails on Rachel, maybe I could injure her enough to get her off me, then I can figure this whole thing out.

The strength starts to seep from my body, my vision goes starry and I'm loosing oxygen fast, so fast that I won't be able to make out if I don't act now.

Suddenly, the overpowering stench of rot fills my nostrils, I almost gag, if I could, that is. At first, I think it's just my lack of oxygen playing tricks on me. Like smelling something burning if you're going to have a stroke, but when I look up at my assailant, half of her face has started to rot.

It smelled just like it did when Chloe and I found her body in the junkyard years ago, that memory is still fresh in mine, despite being for years old. I remember everything, Chloe's sobs, the awful smell of rot that came from the burial ground in the dirt, that smell was the part I remember most of all, because it was here, now.

As Rachel and I struggle for dominance, the rancid smell keeps growing stronger, and the rotting flesh takes up more of Rachel's body, it leaves a sour feeling in my stomach that feels all too real to be a dream.

"Stop fighting." The rotting girl hisses, pressing me further down on the bed. I try to worm my way out of her grip, but she's too strong, using her body weight to keep me forced down. The feeling of fear creeps back into my system again.

Before I know it, Rachel has her hands back on my throat, cutting off my oxygen supply. Her hands are warm and clammy, they too have started to rot, putting the horrid smell right under my nose. "Don't you want this, Max?" Rachel taunts, as if I know what she's even talking about. I gag as Rachel puts more weight onto my neck.

"I thought you wanted this. This is what you want, I̶͞ś̢͠n͡'͝t́͞͠ ̵it͞?̧" I tremble when the terrible screech comes from Rachel. Every ounce of my blood, every part of my body is completely overwhelmed.

Tremors completely wrack my body, and all willingness to fight is broken. My windpipe is being crushed, and my entire body is going weak. So I just let it. What is the point in fighting back, if I don't even have a chance to do anything?

I've lived long enough, I've served my purpose, and I've caused too much harm to people to walk away unscathed. I deserve my punishment, and if this is it, so be it.

But wait.

 

Something shiny.

 

Something sharp.

 

A̵͌ͮͪͦ҉͉̀ ̶̤̣̰̹̭̳̜̫ͮ̅ͪͨ̽ͩ͌ͬ̀ķ̞̲ͤ̽̿ͫ̒͋͠n̛̬̼͖͓̭̅̋͗ͤ͂îͭͤ̏́͐͊҉̩̻̤͇f̵̶̺̞͇̹̰̦͕͚̓̐͟e̘̪̭̘ͧͨ́̾̓̽̒͗́͜?̠̩̭̉͒͌́ͨ͊̇̅ͬ͢

 

Yes, yes it's a knife. When did a knife get here? Has is been here all along? Doesn't matter, I can use it to get away, even if it's a distraction. I think I'm close enough to reach...

I manage to wiggle an arm free from Rachel's assault unnoticed, and summon all of my strength into reaching for the object beside me on the bed. My vision goes spotted as the lack of oxygen starts catching up from my body. I don't have very much fight left in me.

Damn thing, the knife is barely within reach. My fingertips keep brushing the handle, then accidentally pushing it away, rather than to me. Meanwhile, Rachel has forced her entire body weight on me, straddling my hips so I can't move anymore, if I don't get this knife soon, I'm dead.

I don't care if this is just a dream, it feels too real, it hurts too much.

Out of the corner of her eye, Rachel seems to notice that I'm reaching for the knife, as she looked over at it, and weakens her hold on me. Now is the perfect time.

Just as Rachel processes what's happening, and her face goes from expressionless, to furious. I'm already rolled out from under her, and the knife is in my hand. My vision dips and swirls from the oxygen loss, and quick movement, but the adrenaline in my veins keeps me going.

Rachel lets out a furious growl and pounces towards me, this is my chance. I stick the knife out and let it plunge into her gut, reciprocating the loud gasp she produces when the hard metal punctures her skin.

Neither of us move, Rachel's half rotted body is slumped against mine, her blood slowly pouring onto my shirt. The girl that was just acting like a demon seconds ago was very human now. Tremors shake her body, and small shocked gasps escape her lips. I can't even look at her face right now, I can't bear it.

After several moments, Rachel's breathing slows, and eventually stops. I lay silent for a moment, too shocked to even be able to move. But finally, I push Rachel's limp body off of mine, and she falls to the floor, her blood staining the carpet.

What the fuck just happened?

My shirt is deeply stained with blood, Rachel's blood, the blood of a girl that should be dead, but was just pinning me on my bed, trying to strange me to death. I slowly stand on wobbly legs and make my way to where the body of the dead girl lays.

The rot on her body is slowly fading, just leaving the carcass of an innocent teenage girl on my bedroom floor, I almost want to vomit.

I look left, and right. Though I don't know why, I'm in the privacy of my own bedroom, and no one else is inside the apartment besides me and this frighteningly real iteration of Rachel. Dropping the bloody knife in my hand with a thump, I blink a few times to calm myself.

And when I open my eyes. Rachel is gone. Her, and the knife on the floor, and the blood on my shirt. The entire illusion just evaporates, but the sick feeling in my stomach still remains. What the fuck was that? Was it some sort of vision, or something?

No, that wasn't physic, that was _psychotic_.

I'm not going crazy. I have to tell myself a mission times that I'm not going crazy. But I have no idea what that was. I've never had that happen to me before. I've had insomnia, anxiety attacks, blackouts. But never illusions.

Suddenly, I hear the apartment door open, and Chloe coming in.


	15. Malfunction

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So today is the 3 year anniversary of LiS Episode 1? That’s insane! I haven’t quite been in the fandom for 3 years, but it’s still an incredible milestone, and I’m glad to have this community in my life today

Working at a coffee shop is really not the place I thought I'd be working it. I mean, my peers can be really nice and comforting. But the overall job of it is tiring. The cranky customers, low tipping averages, maddening hours, it's all just too teenage-angsty for me to be happy with. At least I don't drive people around in my car like Chloe does.

I've never really understood what's with Chloe and that damn Uber job anyway, taking in sweaty people and driving them around on your own time sounds very unappealing. But it's probably the 'on your own time' aspect of it, Chloe loves it when things run on her own schedule, she thrives for it. I think that's one of the things that makes me like her so much.

"Hey Max, why are you smiling like that?" Lena snaps me out of my daze. It's honestly so fortunate we became neighbours, her job had an opening, and she just fit me right into it, ever since I met her she was always such a sweet girl. Chloe likes her too, I can tell, she doesnt bother Lena as much as she does with Aei. And if Chloe leaves you alone, it means she likes you. I turn to the taller girl. "I was just wrapped up in my own head again, that's all."

But Lena can see through that, and she knows exactly what I'm thinking. She bumps her shoulder with mine in a playful manor. "Who is the star of your daydreams today? Chloe again?" I feel heat creep into my cheeks as I push her back. "Stop!" I shout, but only because she is right.

"Don't be ashamed of thinking about your girlie-friend at work, Max." Lena teases one more time before moving off to clean the despenser machine in the back. I watch her and le the heat slowly drain from my face, embarassed, I cover my cheeks with my sleeve.

Where did all this happiness come from? Lately I've been down in the dumps, especially after that whole episode a few days ago. I still don't know what happened. Why did I see Rachel? Why was she trying to murder me while her body rotted on top of me? I shiver at just the memory.

When Chloe got home and found me shivering on the foor, it hurt how disappointed she looked. I didn't ask for weird freaky illusions, I didn't ask for any of it, but Chloe still seems to think that it's all my fault, my doing. But I guess I really couldn't blame her in a way. Chloe is the kind of person that when something happens, she needs to immediately blame it on someone, it's always someones fault. But if there is no one to blame, she quickly takes to blaming everyone and everything.

But ever since that happened a few days ago, Chloe and I have been laying low. I too a few vacation days, and Chloe cleared her schedule so we could try to get to the bottom of what was happening, and try to see if it would happen again. But alas we caught nothing, it didn't happen again, and we didn't find out what it was.

My meds haven't been doing a thing recently, no matter how many I take. Nightmares galore, but I guess there's nothing I can do about it, but just try. I gave up hope so long ago, no medicine is going to help me heal, I just need time. Time and Chloe. But I have all the time in the world, right? How long was I going to have a Chloe? With her record, not very long.

A squeezing feeling ripples through my stomach at the though, and I need to snap myself out of it while I'm at work. Maybe actually doing the work I was assigned to would help me get my mind off of things.

It isn't really busy today, a few customers sit at tables with overpriced fancy coffee and laptops, typing away while absorbed in their own world. But that's the norm with this place, really. That's the average here, and I guess I can't complain, it's better than everyone chattering and making a lot of noise, driving my already bad headaches through the roof.

Yeah, I hate it here most times, but I really can't deny that the mechanical movements of cleaning all the coffee making machines, and making the coffee's themselves isn't a calming effect. The repeated movements of working here have helped me relax and ease myself, sometimes I've actually stayed overtime to calm myself down before I go home and deal with Chloe.

But, this work isn't the best fun and dandy job I've ever had. It's made me so mad from all the whiny customers that take advantage of the 'customer is always right' policy. I've never told Chloe this, because I know she will go crazy, but I used my rewind here once or twice in the past. The meds I have for my headaches can have a sort of side effect where I... Rage.

Chloe has seen it first hand, and I always apologize for it. But I tend to snap because of the smallest things recently. I haven't had much control over it lately, but I've been trying as hard I can. Chloe hasn't been helping, and I don't mean the real Chloe, I mean the one in my head, the one that whispering in my head, and causing carnage in my heart.

 _I am real, Max._ She whispers again, always a discomforting sound. I'm actually in a good mood today, and I don't want to ruin it, so I decide not to comment back, and maybe if I ignore her, she will go away.

 _You can't ignore me. I live inside your head, idiot._ She pesters, and sends a shock through my skull that makes me flinch. I don't need this stupid fuckery right now, not while I'm at work. _Can you go away, please?_ I answer. I never like to bend to the Voice's will, but right now I really don't want to handle this.

Out of the corner of my vision, I see a customer waiting to get an order.

 _Why do you want me to go away? I am a part of you, remember?_ This fight is getting stupid, I sigh aloud. _I've never liked you, I've never welcomed you, I've always hated having you around, especially now_. So go away. I snapped, feeling physically out of breath, despite all this going on only inside my head.

I pant lightly and wipe the wet rag along the dispenser machine, collecting what junk has accumulated on it. _Tired huh?_ She asks again, and I can hear her sigh in my mind. What is the point of that? Now she just seems to be talking just to talk, not unlike the real Chloe. But I have to keep my cool, blowing up won't solve anything, ignorance is bliss.

 _Yeah, good try. E for Effort._ Chloe snips at me, and my blood starts to boil. _Get out of my goddamn head, okay? I don't want you here, you have been here for 4 years and it's been nothing but pain from you. I honestly feel like the reason why I've been having these delusions was because of you._ I completely snap, loosing my cool like I never have before.

I'm so absorbed in this conversation it's almost like I can see the body behind the voice. She stands in front of me, in a black void where nothing really exists. My mind. But her hair is... different than the real one... it's... You can't be blaming me for this, can you? I'm a piece of you Max, I wouldn't want this for you.

The condescending tone in her voice is the last straw, with the last of my patience gone, I lash out.

And hit something solid.

"Hey!" A customer exclaims, jumping back with her hands up in the air. I gasp lightly. The Void, it's all gone, and that False Chloe... Where is all of that? I find myself looking down at the front counter, a coffee spilled and an upset yet surprised customer with coffee spilled all over her. "What the hell?" She grunts angrily, grabbing a napkin and wiping it on her shirt.

I'm absolutely speechless. I have no idea what happened or how I got over to the counter. Last thing I remember was wiping a machine way in the back. "Suh- Sorry.." I mumble stupidly. How the hell did all of this happen?

"Sorry? This is cashmere! It'll never come out!" The prissy girl shouts, rubbing even harder still. This is great... Just great, I don't need another customer complaint on me, Lena has already gotten enough that she might have to fire me, and as much as I hate this job, I can't loose it. Not now. "What's going on here?" Lena asks, slowly moving in from behind me.

Oh Dog, this is where I get fired. "What's going on, is that this clumsy girl just knocked my drink and spilled it all over me, on purpose!" Mrs. Cashmere whines like a little girl. In more ways than one, she reminds me a lot of Victoria Chase.

That name, and the reminder of the town it brings makes my stomach clench. "Oh, I don't think she did it on purpose." Lena tries to soothe the customer in my favor. My head is pounding. "Yes, it so obviously was. She flung her arm around and hit the coffee on me."

I need this to be gone, I stare at the palm of my right hand. I know rewinding is stupid at this point, based on what it has previously caused. But I need it right now, if I get fired, Chloe will be pissed, and the only one of us working to sustain our living. It'll be hard to find a new job given the mental state I've been in the past few years.

Just one more time, Max. I need to do this, to save my job, right? Slowly, I lift my right arm, palm out, rewind ready. I squeeze my eyes shut and will time around me to reverse, I will my actions to be erased and stolen by time. I feel it, I feel it. All time around me starts to reverse, and murky red film starts to bubble around my vision.

Everything around me moves in reverse, my line of vision gets worse as melted bubbling film takes over all eyesight. My head pounds next, it's something I've been used to forever, it happens a lot. But what I'm not used to is when the pain escalates, it shoots so high that I cry out, and loose my focus. The world goes back to normal.

The bratty customer shouts, but this time, it's not from a coffee spill, it's from my outcry. I can't see anything. red, just red bubbling film all around my eyes. My head is exploding and there's nothing I can do to fix it. Searing pain spits out of my head and into my arm, making the limb so numb I can't feel it anymore.

Pure dizziness makes my whole body feel spiny, I fall over, making a shot of searing pain shoot through my head. I shout louder, clutching my head. What's happening? This has never happened when suing my rewind, I've never felt anything this horrible when using the rewind. 

The pain escalates to a whole new height I feel like I may pass out. The bubbling in my vision completely takes it over, and the rest of my body begins to go numb. I start to slowly breathe. In and out, each exhale causes more pain, every inhale causes me pain. I start to feel my consciousness drift away, but I hold onto it, I hold on as hard as I can.

The pain starts to leave as my vision comes back. Everything fading at once that the relief is hard enough to knock me out. I scan where I am, sitting on the floor, my hands clutched to my head, and Lena crouched right in front of me, making sure I'm doing alright.

I pant lightly. So relieved that the pain is gone, and my body feels light. "Max. Max, take a deep breath. Are you alright?" She asks, running her hands along my arms. And even though I'm not, even though I'm the farthest thing from 'alright.' I nod anyway.


	16. Take Me There (Valentines Special)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Torrow is Valentines Day so I’m taking a break from the action for just a little while to give you guys a fluff chapter, next chapter I will resume the story.
> 
> Have fun!

“Listen, Max." Chloe starts with a deep sigh. "I know things have been hard between us lately. I totally get it, let's just take the day off and relax a little."

I lay beside Chloe, my back pressed to her chest, in complete silence. My alarm has failed to go off, but I woke up early anyway, and because I did, Chloe was up too. (I have a tenancy to go pee when I first wake up.) There's nothing I really want to say back, so I lean back and lay my head into the curve of her shoulder.

Chloe reacts immediately, bringing me in closer and smiling into the curve of my shoulder, I can't help but smile too, even if she couldn't see it.

"Fine." I admit with defeat. "But I have work at 4 today." I'm not missing work again. I've already had enough days off recently, and I'm already under watch because of that 'incident' that happened yesterday. I know that Lena is understanding enough to only give me a warning on that one, but I have to be careful, not letting that happen again.

What the hell was it, even? My rewind just... failed on me in the middle of work. I've been noticing that it's been getting weaker these past few years, but I've never been close to it outright failing like that.

"Don't worry about it, I already called Lena and got you out." Chloe removes her face from my shoulder and smooths my pixie hair down.

"Wait. You did what?" I jolt away from Chloe, exposing my bare skin to the cold air of the bedroom. I quickly rethink my decisions and hide beneath the covers once again.

"Yeah, we worked it out and came to an agreement about you taking today off so we could relax a little bit." I can't believe this, Lena and Chloe talked about me behind my back? I know it was just about work, but I still want to have a say in that. Unfair.

"You two may as well have gotten dinner and a movie, too." I tease, giving Chloe's shoulder a light push. She lets out a oof sound, and drops dramatically on the bed. With a chuckle, I roll on top of her, placing my forearms on each side of her head and lifting myself up off of her, so I'm not crushing her, though the thought is nice.

Chloe looks up at me, glistening eyes, and I smile down at her, deep admiration for the beautiful girl beneath me. These past few days have been so hard, wildly flinging between emotions so unnaturally that it feels almost inhumanly possible. But if Chloe wasn't here at my side, I might have broken under the weight of it all.

I lean down and press a gentle kiss to her lips. Chloe's clearly a little surprised, as her reaction is delayed, but she leans into me, kissing me back with strength and fervor. After a long while, I lost count of how long we kissed, I pull back, wiping my lips on my sleeve.

"Fine, we can have it your way." I say, fully excepting defeat. "But you're not allowed to cook, because you burn everything."

Chloe scoffs, "good for me, then. Less work I have to do." I shove her harder on the bed, and she erupts into laughter. I can't help but smile along, anything Chloe does makes me feel better.

"Let's get dressed." I stand up, shivering as the air touches my skin, the colder weather outside is starting to leak into the walls. Chloe watches from underneath the covers for a few beats, before shedding the sheets to stand beside me.

Since I don't think I'll be leaving that much today, I use that to my advantage when picking my wardrobe. I go for sweatpants and a comfortable pull up hoodie, minimal effort required, and I'm comfortable as hell.

Chloe goes in a different direction, putting on her jeans and a checkered flannel to go over top the tank top she sleeps in. Her hair is down and disheveled, blue and strawberry blonde locks sprayed everywhere from rolling her head all over her pillow. I smile and push the strands behind her ears, not getting rid of the problem, but minimizing it at least.

We both stare at each other for a moment, Chloe leaning into my palm, and me continuing to pet the side of Chloe's face. There was a shine in her eyes, and I can tell that was the look she had before she wanted to have sex. I smirk at her and pat her cheek, stepping away. "What's on the menu, horny girl?"

Chloe steps closer, and I leave the bedroom entirely, going out into the kitchen. The whole area is a mess, Chloe didn't clean up last night, so I have to put some dishes away and load the dishwasher up.

"Here, Maxie. I got this," Chloe pitches in, helping out with my cleaning habits. I nod and focus on wiping everything down, when the hell did everything get this dirty, and why didn't I clean it earlier? I guess I really have been out of it lately.

When the counter is clean, I start looking for something simple to eat. "What do you want, Chloe? We have cereal, toast, eggs-"

"Mac and Cheese?" Chloe cuts me off, giving a shy and sheepish smile. She knows my aversion to Mac and Cheese, maybe because I've eaten it a thousand times a year for the past several years. Chloe can never stop eating that stuff. I sigh, rummaging through the breakfast cabinet even longer.

"Chloe, it's 10 in the morning, we don't need Mac and Cheese yet." I insist, grabbing for some cereal boxes. Chloe pouts her lip, begging like a 5 year old girl.

"Come on, Maxie. Please? Any time is a good time for Mac and Cheese." God that voice drives me nuts, and she knows it does, that's why whenever she wants something, she uses it to get in my head. Chloe always knows how to do that, she knows me way too much.

"Fine." I say, putting the cereal boxes back, "but only if you stop giving it that nickname." Chloe puts on her triumphant smile and gets out the Mac and Cheese boxes.

"Like what? Max and Cheese?" Chloe carries a smug look, the look of knowing she's upsetting me, but not caring anyway. She does this all the time, purposeful intention to push my buttons. That's one of the reasons why I love her.

I only respond with a grunt and take the box from her hands. There is a gleam in her eyes, excited to get some food in her stomach. I know she drank a lot last night, (I did too) but unlike me, I don't think she ate much with that alcohol either, I think it upset her stomach.

I opened the box and started boiling some water in a pot. Chloe came up beside me and leaned down to rest her chin on my shoulder. "I love you, Max." I know she was just sucking up, but I still lean my cheek into hers at the words as I hummed in response.

After the water comes to a boil, I pour the noodles into the pot and start stirring them with a fork. Behind me, Chloe has left my shoulder and began to wander around the apartment.

"Man it's fucking quiet in here. I need some music." Chloe complains, grabbing her Bluetooth speaker from the coffee table. "Let's jam out." I shake my head, and stir the noodles again, making sure they don't stick to the bottom of the pot.

[A gentle melody floods the room around me.](https://youtu.be/dEvkS76GGaA)

From the living room, Chloe sets the speaker down, and gives me a large smile.

_Dance with me, Max._

A voice floods my mind, but no one actually spoke to me. Oh god, it's not that Chloe ghost, is it? But I get no response, Chloe moves in front of me, making her way to where I'm standing in the kitchen, by the pot of noodles that I haven't stirred in a minute or two

Chloe extends her arm. "Dance with me."

Weird, that was what the ghost said, and usually the real Chloe doesn't line up with the ghost one. I feel a swirling in my stomach, but Chloe's warm smile breaks through the cloud of nerves and anxiety.

The noodles behind me were boiling, so I reached one hand back to stir them.

"Oh, forget about that." Chloe laughs and takes my hand, leaving the noodles behind to pull me away from the kitchen. I chuckle, all she cared about a few minutes ago were those noodles, so why now is she just ditching them? It doesn't matter, Chloe takes my hands in hers, and sways to the music.

As the lyrics start, she sings them, and I give her a smile, it's not meant to be shy, but I'm pretty sure it came out that way anyways. Chloe knows I love this song, I always listen to it as a pick-me-up. Chloe planned this, I'm sure of it.

Chloe shuffles, and I'm pulled around with her because of our linked.

"Wherever you go, yeah you can take me there." She sings along, her voice making me feel dizzy, in a good way. "Over the ocean, I can see us there."

A smile breaks out across my face without my permission, but I don't really want to suppress it anymore. I move along with her, shuffling my feet and swinging my hands with hers, the music fills my ears, and Chloe's face fills my eyes, her smile fills my mind. We start to shuffle more drastically, stepping back and forth with the beat of the song, squeezing our interlaced fingers.

Chloe suddenly lets go of my one hand to spin me. I shout in surprise, which ends up falling into a laugh. She pulls me closer, and our chests collide, it kinda hurts, but the joy overruns the pain. We connect our hands again, and continue to dance until the song ends and our breaths come heavy.

The song changes to something more quiet, Chloe and I stand still, looking into each other's eyes while we catch our breaths.

I suddenly hear a hissing noise behind me, and I look over my shoulder to find the water boiling over the pot. I look back at Chloe. "Our breakfast is ruined." I comment.

Chloe smiles. "I don't care." And places a kiss to my lips.


	17. Chloe Price Shouldn’t Be Left Alone

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is one of TWO chapters I’m releasing today. Because I’m just so nice (jk, I had a lot of time off this past week) so enjoy!

Chloe took the afternoon off work.

She started the morning off great, getting in her car and racking in some good cash. But her head began to bother her after several hours. At first it wasn't a problem, and she kept going. But after lots of water and no downtime, Chloe called it a day, and took what she had gotten before going home.

Chloe never really got headaches, it was such a rarity, that whenever she got one, it was always sort of suspicious. Her mom got them all the time, but the only time Chloe suffered headaches was when she was super hungover, and Joyce would try to help.

Joyce.

Even after 4 years, the name stung. And not just to Chloe, Max felt it too. She was a mother to both of them, hell, she was a other to anyone who came by Two Whales, she was always so supportive and loving, even when Chloe was being a little shithead. (Which was often.)

That was the first time Chloe thought about her lost mother in a while, she always tried to put the thought in the back of her mind to spare herself from pain, and the guilt that came with it.

Chloe knew that her mother's death wasn't directly her fault, but that didn't mean she didn't feel guilty anyway.

She tried to shake the thoughts from her mind as she made her way back to the Price-Caulfield residence. The only home she had now. It was funny, Chloe always made a big deal about leaving Arcadia, leaving and never coming back, and how she wished the town was gone, shredded to glass.

But when it was, and Chloe was forced to evacuate with Max, it made her feel sick. It wasn't what she wanted, and if Chloe could take it all back, just to live in that weird town with weird people, oh hell she would.

When she got back to the complex, she couldn't go in there quicker. Yeah the fresh air did help out, but it was way too cold, and Chloe was craving a nice comfy bed, with a bottle of water and and some meds to keep her company

The apartment was deadly silent, Max was at work, and Chloe had finally fixed the air conditioning, so the gentle ticking sound was gone. It used to drive Chloe nuts, but at this point, she missed the sound, it was a background noise, something to keep her calm. Now she stood in the deadly silent apartment room with a pounding headache.

First thing she did was reach for medicine, grabbing a glass of water and swallowing the pill. Chloe always hated swallowing pills, it made her even more sick, and had sometimes made her throw up in the past few years.

She assumed it was because of the action of swallowing a pill that caused the sickness feeling, it seemed like the only plausible answer. After the nausea from taking the medicine faded, Chloe took a second to reflect.

It was only yesterday that her and Max took the day off work, they spent their time right here in the kitchen. Boiling Mac and Cheese, then swiftly forgetting it and dancing to melodic tune in the Living Room.

Chloe could almost see the ghost of herself and Max. She wished that the two of them had more days like that, with everything going on, and everything that happened. Both Max and Chloe have been fighting so hard to keep their demons at bay, to fix everything, that their relationship has been put on the back burner.

With a pulsing pain in her head, Chloe took another pill and made her way to her bed with her shoulders slumped. Finally getting into the bed, Chloe curled up underneath the blankets and blissfully closed her eyes.

She put her (shockingly cold) hand on her forehead, and breathed silently into the pillow. It felt so nice and soothing.

There had been so much stress that week, Chloe was grateful to have a break, even if it was just for a day, and she was in incredible pain. But it was still a warranted break. If she was lucky, Chloe may fall asleep for a while and maybe the aching would disappear.

That was the dream, anyway.

Chloe lay in pure silence, trying to lose her thoughts and the pain that came with them, but it didn't work. Not even after getting a bottle of water, and more medicine, the headache persisted, pulsating and driving Chloe mad with pain.

After what felt like days, but was probably hours, Chloe drifted off into a painful sleep.

When she woke, nothing was right. The corners of her vision were bright, and unfocused. And she wasn't in her bed anymore. It was a hospital room.

Chloe immediately sat up. But nothing really felt real, she felt light and unbalanced, her head was still pulsing, but her sharp pain turned into a dull ache. The room she was now in was bright and obnoxious, she could barely see who was on the bed.

She wiped her eyes with the heel of her palms and tried to collect herself. What just happened? The last thing Chloe remembered was laying down from her headache, and she fell asleep.

So what, was this just a dream or something? That made the best sense, unless Chloe just completely blacked out, and was living her life without any memory of it.

Yeah, she liked the scenario of this being a dream better.

Chloe couldn't even move fer herself, her muscles were moving for her, she had no control over herself. Her body stood, then leaned down over the person in the hospital bed. She couldn't see who it was, the bright light was covering the body.

Chloe watched as her hand grabbed the hand of the person on the bed, and as she leaned in to give the person a kiss on the forehead. And when she leaned back, she saw an unconscious Max laying on the hospital bed.

In a flash, everything was gone, the hospital, the bed, the weird blurry vision. Chloe lept from her bed, heavily panting.

Max... In a hospital bed? What sort of fucked up dream was that? But it was just a dream, only a dream, right? Chloe had no reason to feel freaked, to take it seriously. Or no reason to feel sick to her stomach.

But, it felt real. Her body moving without her consent was weird, but it was still as it she was living it, not in her own dreamscape.

Chloe couldn't describe it, not even to herself. But as much as she wanted to believe it was a dream, something inside her knew better. It didn't seem abnormal, Max had the ability to rewind time as she knew it, so weird vision-esque things weren't completely out of question.

Chloe knew she had to tell Max, no matter how weird it sounded. Max might know something about it. She was the one with all the Supernatural knowledge in the relationship.

A few deep breaths later, Chloe took note of her headache, or how it was missing, more like. She touched her temple, but all pain was gone, all of that malice disappeared after the vision she had. The headache and what she just saw must have been connected, there was no other explanation, right?

Others may say she was going crazy, but Chloe knew this had to be the key, and she knew that Max would believe her if she went to her, because Max went through the same crazy shit for the past several years.

So now, all Chloe had to do was collect her thoughts about everything before Max got home.


	18. Visions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 2/2.
> 
> Btw, get ready for a returning character to make their debut in this fic next chapter!

"So you're saying you had some sort of vision?"

I don't get it, I leave one day for work and Chloe claims she's having these visions. I feel like she's making fun of me, that having weird powers is funny. But I know better than that, I really just don't want this to be true, because it's bad enough that I suffer from these problems, I don't want Chloe to be a part of this too.

Yesterday really changed me, the first day in a long time that's help put my head on right. Chloe and I are a team, no matter how much we fight, we need to be unified if we are going to figure this out. I can look past all our yelling matches, or petty fights, because that's just a sign of life. Deep down, we are partners, no matter what.

"Yes. Don't you believe me?" The sharp sound of hurt in her voice makes me flinch. Chloe sounds desperate, like she needs someone, anyone else to believe her.

"Of course I do, Chloe. I-" Tripping on my words, I try to find a proper way to voice myself here. Chloe looks on the brink of tears, and I would rather avoid hurting her more than helping her. I just need to find how I'm going to address this.

"I just need some time to think about this." It's way too soon since my last dramatic episode for another one to suddenly start, but these days, I really don't get much of a break. Chloe gives a wary nod. "So do I, Max." Comes her short response.

I run though the details she gave me. Headache, rapidly falling asleep, hospital bed, me in that hospital bed. It all makes no sense, I didn't feel ill, (I mean, besides the time altering powers malfunctioning) I wasn't in some kind of physical pain. Me taking a trip to the hospital any time soon doesn't logically add up.

But that's the point of visions, isn't it? To see the unseen.

"You do believe me, right?" Chloe asks, looking at me desperately. I let out a harsh sigh though my nose and nodded. 

"Yes, I do. I... I just need to think about this for a second, make it all fit." I put my head in my hands, muffling the last few syllables of my sentence, but I'm sure Chloe put the pieces together.

"Well so do I, its not exactly like I'm an expert at this either." Chloe's tone is irritating me, but I know she is just panicking, and so am I. Scooting closer to her on the couch, I wrap my arm around her and give a reassuring squeeze. 

"We are in this together, Chloe. You aren't alone. Now walk me though it nice and slow." I need to get to the bottom of this, see if there are any hints that connect it to my rewind, or anything that I've experienced.

Chloe takes a few deep breaths, closing her eyes to recall her memories. "My head just hurt, it was so sudden. I was in the car, in between jobs when it just stated to pulse." Okay, that is the first flag, for sure. I know for a fact that Chloe isn't prone to headaches, I've had so many more than her. When we got together, I made it my goal to learn more about her than I ever had before.

"Go on, Chloe." I encourage her. Sure this was fishy, but that can't be the end of the story. "What happened next?"

Chloe ponders herself, chewing her lip. She's under a lot of pressure, which is definitely alarming. Chloe has always been the more stable one of us both. I was always the one who kept her emotions inside, and was the most in check between us. I was always relying on her.

"I grabbed medicine, and water before I went to bed and, and, I fell asleep." That seems normal to me, I bite my lip in thought.

 "Are there any blanks in your thought? Any time where there was something missing?"

With knotted eyebrows, Chloe tries to think back. "Um... No." Her voice is uneven. "I just remember leaving the bedroom and suddenly being in the hospital... I-"

Okay, so she just went from being in the bedroom, to somewhere else automatically. That sounds odd, maybe too quick of a transition to be dreaming the whole thing. "Chloe, are you sure you fell asleep?"

Chloe gives me a look. "Well, yeah." She nods slowly, unsure for a moment. "I, um, I think. I don't know, can you ever tell when you fall asleep?" Yeah, she's got me there. And also with the fact that she was focusing on her pounding headache, I'm at a loss.

"Hear me out Chloe, but maybe you didn't fall asleep, you just started a vision. That could be it." That's the only thing I can get right now. I'll have to call Warren up so we can have a talk with him and figure this out. Chloe seems excited that I was working with her on this, is her trust that broken?

"Yes, yes that makes perfect sense." Chloe leans closer into me, "I'm so glad I have you on this, Max. We will figure it out together." I wrap my arm around her and bring her closer.

Our conversation drifts to an end. This matter is nowhere close to being solved, but we need a break from this mess, Chloe looks like she's about to cry, and work has been killing me lately. Not because it's hard, just because it's yet another thing on my ever growing list of stuff to deal with.

"Let me grab us some cereal and we can watch tv or something, okay Chloe?" I don't know about Chloe, but I'm sure as hell hungry. Chloe sits up, shrugging her blanket off, "we're out of milk."

I sigh, I swear we had some yesterday, did Chloe drink all of it today? That sounds about right...

"I'll go get some, then." I volunteer, grabbing my jacket from the coat rack but pausing before I put it on. Maybe I shouldn't just run off when Chloe is like this? Calm down, Max. Think about your actions sometimes.

"No, no. Let me get it." Chloe eagerly stands, taking a step towards me. "I've had one hell of a day, and I really need some fresh air." Her point is valid, but I feel uncomfortable letting Chloe off into the night by herself knowing what condition she's in. I'd hate for her to fall apart in the darkness and...

"Max, please. I'm not a child."

"Yeah, okay, fine. But will you be okay by your own?"

"Yeah, I told you. I feel fine." Chloe reassures.

Defeated, I agree. "But have your phone on you, and ready if you need to get a hold of me, got it?"

Chloe smirks at me. "Yes, mom." Her joking manor is calming, It lets me know that she really is okay, and she's recovered enough to take the short walk to the store.

There is a pause between us as she takes her time putting on her coat. "Get out there, it's not getting any lighter out." I usher, not being able to prevent a smile from creeping onto my face. 

Chloe chuckles before grabbing her wallet. "Don't wait up, okay?"


	19. Seattle Bound

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Surprise! I always wanted to put Nathan in this fanfic before I started it, and now I finally got to put it in. Don’t worry, he won’t be that important of a character, but expect him to be around a bit

Nathan Prescott used to be a rich, rich man.

He had anything he could ever want, fame, money, girls, power. (Both Economically, and Socially) He had anything anyone could ever ask for.

Or, that's what everyone thought, anyway.

What lied beneath all the fame, and money, and drugs, was a broken soul. Someone burdened by the lack of love, the lack of compassion from the ones he valued the most. His father was a tyrant and a bastard, his mother and sister were both MIA, He only had himself to rely on.

And as Nathan Prescott sat in a rotten smelling bus on the way to Seattle, he found himself looking back on his life, and how everything fell apart.

It all started months ago, when Nathan became a student to Mark Jefferson.

He felt some sort of connection to Mark, and Mark was close to him, the two were instant partners. Nathan loved photography, and Mark Jefferson could teach him everything he wanted to know about taking pictures, so a friendship formed.

Then that friendship turned into a father son relationship. Nathan finally had a proper father figure in his life, no longer was he worried about not being loved, because he knew that Mark Jefferson loved him.

Or so he thought.

The father son relationship that Nathan was seeing was nothing more than a lie, fiction that was fabricated from Nathan's mind in a desperate attempt to hope that it was reality. When Nathan was introduced to Jefferson's 'work' he was sucked down into a life he never wanted. He started business with Frank Bowers, using the money his father tosses his way to buy drugs, to then give to Mark Jefferson, who used them for unspeakable things.

In the beginning, Nathan was opposed to Jefferson's actions, the things he was doing to Blackwell students. But eventually... after so long... he didn't mind it, he even asked Jefferson to have a bigger role in it one day.

Back then, he thought his desire to help Jefferson was from raw passion for the man's work. But now he knew that he was blinded by loyalty, blinded by love that was never even there. All Nathan wanted was someone to be proud of him, someone to impress. And Mark Jefferson just happened to be there.

Nathan never really caught on to the fact that he was being used until shortly before the storm. It was before Max Caulfield and her curiosity that led her to a dead end, it was before Kate Marsh. (though that wasn't pleasant) It was the day Rachel Amber died.

He didn't do it, he didn't kill her. It was an accident, he told himself. He accidentally used to much drug, and overdosed her into the grave. But did he really? Nathan's memory from that night was fuzzy, he had been drunk, and a little high. Then next thing he knew, Mark had to bury the body.

When Nathan had asked what happened, Mark told him that it was all Nathan's fault, and he shouldn't have been that close with Rachel. But it wasn't Nathan's fault that he fell in love with Rachel, everyone fell in love with her.

It was after that day, Nathan had started to figure out the truth, Mark Jefferson's hold on Nathan was starting to weaken, until it broke. It was the night of the party, the Vortex Club party. Nathan had broken a rule, he tried to warn Victoria of her impending death. He was stuck between loyalties, but his to Mark was breaking by the time the man chose Nathan's best friend to murder.

Jefferson caught him fast, breaking Nathan's ties with Victoria, and calling the boy a traitor. Nathan had so little time to send out his distress signal to Max Caulfield before Jefferson killed him. But he never really died

It turns out you can survive a shot to the jaw. Just play dead when the bullet lands, and while getting buried in the Junkyard, not that far away from where Rachel Amber's body was. Nathan almost felt disappointed in Jefferson, this man had been doing stuff like that for years, yet he did such a sloppy job on Nathan, he forgot to finish the job. Probably because he was pressed for time to get to the Vortex party, but Nathan didn't bother asking questions, he was alive, that's all that mattered.

He barely had any time to seek medical help before the storm blew in, and destroyed the very town he had lived in for so long. Nathan couldn't call it home, Arcadia was never his home, but it served as a shelter for so long. After the storm blew through, Nathan had a choice. He could stay in the broken town, or he could venture off into the world alone. He chose the town.

Not for any particular reason. He had no idea whether his father was alive or dead, even 4 years after the storm. He stayed because there was nowhere else to go. It's not like he loved the town, and wanted to help rebuild it (quite the opposite, actually) but because it was the only place he had known for most of his life.

Nathan stayed in Arcadia Bay for 4 years, trying to rebuild the life he had torn apart. And it was working, Nathan started to feel at peace with himself after some time, all of his threats, his fears, all gone like the town. As the town was rebuilt, so was he.

Until one week ago.

One week ago, Nathan Prescott decided to do his work in peace. He went up to the cliff so he could work on his laptop in silence. But once he got there, he found a journal, buried under dirt and stone. The journal belonged to Max Caulfield.

Nathan was shocked to find this journal, all the dates read 4 years ago, the week of the storm. He was surprised it hadn't been destroyed, or discovered by another traveler. But with the contests of this journal, he would believe anything.

Caulfield's writing consisted of time travel stories and unraveling the mystery of Rachel Amber. It sounded like a kid's book, Nathan almost just threw it away. But he just couldn't. There was something about the journal that was enticing, it even predicted the storm itself. Nathan couldn't just throw it away. It was special.

Due to the boredom, the anger, the loneliness that Nathan was feeling after spending the past 4 years in that stupid rebuilding town, Nathan decided it was time to get out into the world, and confront Max Caulfield about this journal. After some quick tracking, Nathan found her location, bought a bus ticket to Seattle, and found himself sitting in the seat he was now.

Public transportation was the only way there, as Nathan's truck was old and there was no way he could drive it that far without the whole thing collapsing in defeat. Nathan loathed the bus, it was smelly, and he had to sit with other people that were most likely staring. Being in his truck was comfortable, it was isolated and silent, just how he liked being.

Grabbing the worn journal from his bag, Nathan sifted through the dirt covered pages again. He was still confused that the journal was in good condition, that he could see the words. But it must be like that for a reason, and Nathan had to find out why.

He continued to survey the journal until he reached the Seattle city limits.


	20. Broken Bones

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 20! Wow, I never thought I’d make it this far. Thank you to all who’s sticking around through this journey with me.
> 
> Enjoy!

The sun had fallen quickly.

Chloe Price shivered in her hoodie as she made her way to the convenience store down the street. It was too close to drive, and Chloe really needed the fresh air to relax her nerves. This day, this vision, still didn't feel real. It was all some messy mumbo jumbo in her head. But Max was here to help, she knew that Max had her back no matter what, and that made her feel a little better, kind of.

The store had a dirty sign, obnoxiously bright with LED lights, Chloe squinted her eyes to shield herself from the pain. She pushed the door open and advanced inside, immediately feeling the temperature around her heat up.

A loud buzzer announced her presence, and a distracted teenager from behind the main counter mumbled. "Yeah, we're open," as if she didn't really care, and Chloe paid no attention to it. Removing her hood, Chloe took a look round the store, then moved to the back, where the milk and other drinks were stored.

The whole store was grimy looking, someone didn't take that much care of this place. Items were placed incorrectly along the shelves, which had layers of dust resting on them. Chloe squeezed herself through the small gap between isles as she made her way to the back, and opened the frosty door to grab her milk. She checked every jug for the latest expiry date, then pulled one from where it sat.

Grabbing some other things along the way, such as some chocolate bars, beef jerky, beer, and a rather lewd magazine that Chloe knew Max would be upset with, she went to the front counter to round everything up.

By then, all of the stress from the previous few hours had faded, and Chloe felt somewhat relaxed, back in her own skin. She couldn't wait to get home to her girlfriend and crack open a beer, with some cereal (separately, of course) and enjoy a night of vacation before she went back to driving a bunch of people around for money.

Max always told Chloe that she could do so much more, go back to college and get a degree in science, get a real career. But Chloe had given up on school the first day she skipped a class. 3 weeks after William had died.

Plus, being a driver was awesome. She made her own rules, she was her own boss, and she met some funky people while doing it. Chloe always used the reversal of why Max didn't go to college and get a career herself, but Max talked about money, and how they didn't have enough to sustain college tuition along with rent and groceries. And with Max's stubborn tendencies, she refused to ask her parents for financial help.

After paying, Chloe grabbed the bag of groceries and left the store, lifting her hood up to protect her ears from the cold breeze before making her way back to the apartment where Max was waiting. Just the thought of Max waiting made Chloe walk faster.

Chloe's breath fogged in front of her face, it was definitely getting colder out. Not much longer until winter was here, and the snow began to fall. Chloe loved the wintertime, it was a time for her and Max to curl up together with some hot cocoa.

The fantasy was cheesy, Chloe knew it was cheesy, that's why she never told anyone.

"Price!"

Before Chloe could react to the shouting of her name, she was shoved into the alleyway beside her. She took a moment to catch her footing, she had dropped the grocery bags,the food spilled everywhere.

Rubbing her aching shoulder, Chloe looked around warily. The lighting in the alley was quite dim, the streetlight didn't quite reach all the way in. Whoever Chloe's attacker was, he must know her enough to know her last name, this wasn't a random attack. Chloe squared her shoulders, bent her legs, and readied herself for an attack.

Her attacker finally showed his face, walking into place to reveal himself as someone who should be dead.

"Nathan Prescott?"

Nathan's face was unsmiling, his eyes were sharp and focused. Focused on Chloe. He waited a minute to start talking. "I've finally found you." His tone was dull, passive. The complete opposite of when he shoved Chloe in the alley just seconds before.

"You..." Chloe couldn't find her words, she was looking at a dead man. Max told her that Jefferson killed Nathan, and threw his body away, but yet here he stood. And the storm even-

What if this means that even more people survived, they just hadn't seen them yet?

"I'm here to find Max, I need to see her." Nathan was determined, but still respectful. This wasn't the Nathan Prescott that Chloe knew back in Arcadia Bay. He definitely grew out of that rich kid bullshit.

Chloe fumed, "like hell you do." This dangerous asshole had no business near Chloe's girlfriend, and she would stand her ground to make sure he got the message. Nathan was persistent, however.

"It's important, I need to give this to her."

Max's journal rested in Nathan's hand, like it was an offering. Chloe started it in disbelief, she thought Max still had it, how was that possible?

"Give it to me." Chloe growled, taking a step forward. Nathan didn't flinch, his jaw shifted, but he never moved. Chloe then noticed the scar on his jaw. It wasn't new, jagged skin that looked like it was either a clean knife slice, or a bullet shot. Maybe that was his story, Jefferson tried to kill him, but ultimately failed.

"Hand it over." Chloe tried again, then she snapped her arm forward and grabbed the dirty journal from his hand. She flipped through the pages as if it was made of glass. Nathan watched her silently.

"This has to mean something, I need to talk to her." Nathan was determined, at least he kept his stubbornness.

Chloe drew the journal closer into her chest. "No way."

"She's not your slave, Price. Let her decide who she talks to." Nathan said.

In a huff of anger, Chloe blew past Nathan and went to her fallen grocery bags. "I won't let you near her." Chloe gave one last comment, sealing the deal. Chloe had no idea if Nathan had traveled far to get here, but too bad for him, he can get a ticket back.

"Oh, just like you wouldn't let me near Rachel?" Nathan sneered.

Chloe stopped in her tracks, frozen in the moment as she processed what Nathan just said. She stood straight, so straight that her back cracked. Very slowly, she turned to face the boy at the end of the alley, who stared at her. "What did you just say?"

Nathan licked his lips. "Just like you tried to hide me from Rachel, and look where that got her." His words were thick and cruel, like poison.

Chloe's heartbeat rose, her blood boiled, she began to tremble where we stood. It had been so long since she heard that name out loud. So long since she felt the anger, and the pain it brought her. "You killed her." The fuming punk snarled, "you killed her. Then you dare say that name to my face?"

Nathan stood unflinching.

Chloe couldn't control her anger anymore, and her body lunged forward before she could even think.

She swung her fist at the boy's head. But he was too fast, lunging out of the way before she could make impact. Chloe's fist slammed into the alley wall, she could barely contain the small whimper that escaped her lips.

"Chloe! What the--"

Chloe shot her arm back, slamming her elbow into Nathan's scarred jaw. The boy grabbed his face, stumbling back and cursing. "This is for Rachel." She seethed, clenching her fists. The injured knuckles throbbed, no doubt she had broken a couple. She would have to fight right handed.

Nathan braced himself as Chloe swung, her fist slammed into his collarbone and he grunted. Grabbing her wrist, Nathan twisted Chloe's arm behind her back, earning a pained cry. Chloe struggled in the hold Nathan trapped her in, quickly find it no use.

Chloe the found her way out. She lifted her feel and slammed it down on Nathan's toes. The boy let out a shout, stumbling back from the girl in pain. Chloe was quick to act, lunging forward once again and slamming her fist into Nathan's chest. The Prescott gasped and choked for air.

Craving to hit the final blow, Chloe grabbed Nathan's skull and slammed it into the brick wall behind him. Nathan wen't limp.

Chloe had taken Nathan down that quickly? That was almost too easy...

Before she could react, Chloe's legs were swept from beneath her. Chloe's back hit the concrete, followed by her skull, and her vision spun. Nathan had per pinned in a second. He punched her brow, her nose, and her mouth, making her teeth rattle.

Acting fast, Chloe brought her knee up into Nathan's groin, and pushed him on the ground beside her. That felt familiar...

Both were back on their feet in a blur of movement. But Nathan had no time to lose. He swung his fist at Chloe. She caught it with her uninjured hand. Nathan then punched with his other hand. Chloe caught that too, flinching as her broken knuckles buzzed with pain. The two struggled for dominance, forcing their weight forward in an attempt to push the other to the ground.

Chloe's shoes started to slide along the ground. Nathan was stronger than her, and she knew that. She was going to lose unless she turned the tides in her favor. Reacting on instinct, Chloe slammed her forehead into Nathan's.

Nathan and Chloe both stumbled backwards, tending to their injuries. Chloe regretted her choice of an attack that bounced back in her face, but Nathan seemed too busy with his pain to protect himself.

Chloe recovered first, walking to Nathan's hunched form and delivering an uppercut directly to his nose. The cartilage definitely broke as the boy cried out in both anger and pain. Chloe knew she had this sold, Nathan was barely able to stand straight anymore. She could finally get proper revenge for Rachel.

What Chloe wasn't expecting, however, was Nathan's immediate recovery. She had no time to prepare herself before Nathan gathered all the strength he possibly could, and punched Chloe with immense force.

The blue haired girl fell to the ground with a sickening thud. She didn't move for a moment, laying in her own pain. Nathan's heavy footfalls drew closer. The noise compelled Chloe to scramble to her feet. She wouldn't give up, not yet.

Chloe began to move forward, but she never could make that step. Her muscles seethed with pain, and she could barely stand up straight. Nathan didn't move either, he stood hunched across from her.

Too weak to fight, the conflict turned into a test of endurance. Chloe stared at Nathan, and Nathan stared at Chloe. The first one to fall, to give in to their injuries would be the loser of this fight. They would submit to the other.

Chloe gritted her teeth though the aching pain of her muscles. All she wanted to do was lay down, but she couldn't let herself. On the other side, Nathan looked like his strength was fading. His form was trembling and he looked ready to fall over.

With a huff of exhaustion, Nathan fell to the ground. Followed by Chloe.


	21. The Journal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m sorry the late update! I was fighting some sort of 24 hour stomach bug yesterday. I spent the entire day recovering. Enjoy the chapter
> 
> (Btw, I *almost* made an April fools chapter, but I held back for you guys)

Max

  
I start to get nervous after 20 minutes.

The store is close, I know that. Chloe shouldn't take this long to run out there and back. Waiting on the couch, I find any way to fidget and occupy my mind. I pick at the skin on my thumbs, bite my lip, rub my face on the blanket, and anything else to distract me from my worries.

With a sudden slam, the apartment door opens, and two people enter.

Chloe limps in, a cut and bruised face. She has an angry yet remorseful look. She's clutching her stomach. My guts squeeze together, and I'm on my feet in a second. Chloe looks up at me just as the second person comes into my line of sight.

It's Nathan Prescott.

My first instinct is to blink, and try to shake off the illusion in front of me. I know Nathan is dead, he has to be. He couldn't have survived that storm, nor the assault from Jefferson. I continue to get him out of my sight, evaporate the fake image in front of me.

I flinch when Chloe's hand is on my shoulder. I didn't even notice her come over to me.

"Max." Is all she says. I force my way out of my trance to look at her. She's got dried blood and bruises everywhere. It upsets me to even look at her. 

"What happened?" I ask, looking between Chloe and Nathan carefully. Chloe sighs and sits down, flinching a little at the contact from the couch. She really is injured. Something inside me clicks and I stand. "I'm getting a cloth and some bandages. Don't move." I elaborate when I see Chloe's confused expression.

In the kitchen, I round up a small baggie of ice, some cloths, ointment, bandages, and other things I could use to treat Chloe up. Upon returning to the couch, Nathan has taken a seat on one of the worn chairs beside the couch. I'll get to him later, still shocked he's alive.

Sitting beside Chloe, I put some ointment on a cloth and dab it on Chloe's injured eyebrow. She hisses and squirms upon the contact.

"Stay still." I say with a stern tone, and hold her jaw still with my other hand. I want to be mad, I want to be so mad. But I just can't. I don't know the whole story behind this incident. For all I know, Chloe could be the innocent victim who just fought back in defense. And Chloe and I need to work together, I've said this so many times I feel like a broken record. But it's true, despite how hard Chloe is making it for me, I know she's not doing it on purpose.

"Max-" Chloe starts.

"Tell me what happened." I cut her off, wanting to get down to the middle of it.

Chloe is hesitant, sharing a look with Nathan that I really don't like. I press the alcohol based ointment on another of Chloe's open wounds and she jumps back in to focus, literally.

"Okay, okay." Chloe says, getting adjusted to the sting of the medicine. "You really shouldn't have let me out alone, Max." Her starting point is valid, for sure. I don't know why I decided it was okay for her to go out. Maybe because she insisted, maybe because I wanted to pretend that everything was alright, and nothing bad had happened to Chloe.

"I went out to the store, and Nathan jumped me." Chloe sighs.

"Jumped you?!" Nathan bursts out, rising to his feet.

"Sit down." I bark at him. Nathan stares at me, not knowing that I was capable of such anger. He slowly sits back down on the chair and lifts his foot to cradle his toes, probably broken. I'll have to get to that later. "Keep going."

Chloe sighs and indicates that the back of her head is injured too, I give her the ice pack to use herself. 

"We were in the alley, and Nathan said he needed to talk to you, but I didn't let him." Chloe groans in pain as she pushes the ice onto her injury. Nathan wanted to talk to me? I feel my heart rate rise suddenly. I look over at the boy in question, who continues to try and nurse his injures with nothing but his own hands.

"Why?" I ask him, reluctant.

"I... have something of yours." Nathan says, and his voice is strange. It's not the voice of the Nathan Prescott I know, the one who thinks he is the top of the world, the one who never cared what anyone else thought about him, or said to him. This Nathan is broken, broken but rebuilt. He changed, that's for sure.

What could he possibly have? Anything that I left in Arcadia was probably shredded to nothing, or buried beneath piles of rubble and came out unrecognizable.

"What is it?" I ask quietly, standing up from the couch where Chloe has started to dig into my med supplies to help herself.

Nathan grabs a small bag that must be hurting his shoulder from the pressure on an injury. He zips it open and digs around inside, digging for any item that I should recognize. I wait impatiently, on the tip of my toes. Eventually, Nathan finds what he's looking for. He pulls out a slim and messy notebook. The pages are stuffed full of photos and water stains. The outside cover is dirty and faded, it takes a moment to register what I'm looking at. It's my journal.

My breath hitches. I thought I have that with me? Isn't it in my bedroom? I grab it out of his hands so fast he doesn't even notice he isn't holding it until I'm flipping through the pages. How, how is it still one piece if it was ditched in the dirt for 4 years? That isn't possible, that can't be.

"Max?" Nathan steps forward. "What's wrong?"

I didn't speak for a moment. "How? This thing can't still be alive. It was some cheap thing from the dollar store. It endured years of dirt and grime, but it looks fine." I can still even read most of the words. The whole thing felt... unreal.

"That's why I'm here." Nathan says, standing back to give my reunion some space. "I figured that you might know something. And the stuff you wrote inside is-"

"You read my journal?" I ask, suddenly violated. What if he thinks I'm some crazy weirdo stuck in my own imagination? No, there's no way he would come all this way to tell me that. Assuming he came from Arcadia, who knows if he stayed there after the storm. He must have, if he has this.

"Well... yeah. I just couldn't help myself. But when I saw everything in there is just.." He didn't seem to find a hold of his words. "I wanted to know if it's true. Everything you said."

Nathan's voice bleeds sincerity. I look back to Chloe for advice, she just shrugs back, then flinches and holds her shoulder. Thanks for nothing. Meanwhile, Nathan is waiting for his answer, he looks patient while rubbing a sore part of his body.

"Yeah, it's true." I say, my voice barely a whisper. I still expect ridicule despite the chances of that being very low. Nathan nods.

"I thought so. You even predicted the storm." Nathan's eyes have a glint to them. It's not mischief or mockery. But I can't quite figure out what it is.

"So you believe me?" I ask quietly, not being able to help my curiosity.

"Well yeah. After that week, I'll believe anything."

Something about that made me feel warm. He doesn't think I was some crazy idiot, he believes me.

All can do do was nod quietly and tend back to Chloe, who sits patently for me to finish helping her out. When I sit down beside her and grab a cloth, I ask. "That's why you fought?"

Nathan lowers his head, not answering the question. Chloe pulls back the ice pack from her head, which is noticeably pinker than before.

"Um... Not really." Nathan admits, picking out a bandage from my pile of first aid supplies and looking at me for approval, I nod and start dabbing some alcohol on Chloe's broken and split knuckles. She jerks and tries to get away from my touch.

"He threatened me with Rachel." Chloe grunts, trying to contain her agony, but the twisted expression on her face showed her pain clearly. Nathan shuffles in his spot. "I didn't threaten anyone with anyone."

"You brought her up, and you know how much she meant to me." Chloe pauses. "How much she means to me."

Nathan bit his lip while applying the bandage. "She meant a lot to me, too. She meant a lot to everyone."

"How dare you, You murdered her!"

"I didn't kill anyone."

"Stop it, both of you." I interrupt, my head hurts too much right now to stand any fighting. Surprisingly, they both stop bickering. "My head hurts too much for the fighting, we can resolve this in the morning."

Chloe looks guilty, and nods. Nathan just keeps bandaging himself up.

"Do you have anywhere to stay?" I ask Nathan, who just shakes his head as he finishes fixing himself up. I sigh. "You don't have hotel money, or anything?" He shakes his head.

I don't trust Nathan, but it's cold out, and he has nowhere to stay. As easy as it would be to just kick him out and trust that he finds his own place to stay. I just feel like I can't do that, it would be unfair to leave anyone in the cold. If I know I can't live out there alone, I can't make someone else do it.

But that being sad, I don't want him here forever. Maybe I can find some other home for him to stay after tonight. I know that Warren has an entire apartment to himself, maybe he wouldn't mind the company. Well, he might if he knew it was Nathan. It it is still worth a shot.

"Fine, you can stay here for one night. But in the morning, you're out of here." I state, and Chloe reacts immediately.

"What?" She flinches, and pushes through her injuries to stand up and face me. "You can't be serious." Nathan takes his shock more quietly.

I stare Chloe in the eyes. "Let's talk about this later, Chloe. It's late, we should be heading to bed." We look at each other for a short moment, before she nods, and limp-walks over to our bedroom, and shuts the door.


	22. Time

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is it, we have reached the (approximate) half way of this story! We are half way there! Because we are half way there, this chapter is a turning point. After this chapter, after this day in the story's timeline. Nothing else will be the same.

It's 9:17 am when Warren knocks on our apartment door.

It's been approximately 17 minutes since he was supposed to arrive.

It's been 10 minutes since Chloe got in the shower.

It's been 7 minutes since she got out.

I stare at the stove top clock, allowing the glowing green numbers to burn a hole in my vision. I know that the numbers displayed are merely a representation, a representation of something that no one can truly see. But I can.

I am the controller of t̴͝i̶͡m͠e͞, I twist it, and bend it to my will. I can feel time on my skin, flowing along my flesh and weaving through my fingers. Lately, it's presence can't be ignored, I feel it all the t̴͝i̶͡m͠e͞, I'm constantly aware of every passing second as it brushes along my body.

Many say that t̴͝i̶͡m͠e͞ is only an illusion, that it is only something that humans use to anchor themselves to where they are and how they work. But I know this isn't true, I have a true connection with t̴͝i̶͡m͠e͞, one that no one else could ever imagine.

This is why we're having Warren come over.

My touch with t̴͝i̶͡m͠e͞ has been spiraling out of control, and neither Chloe and I have been able to stop it. We need more firepower to find out what is wrong with me. Not to mention that Chloe has been having problems too, regarding these strange visions. Looks like we're both messed up.

"You gonna get that?" Chloe walks past me to the door. I get thrown back into reality, and have to shake off the sticky feeling on my skin.  
  


T̮̦̬͒ͫͮͨh̲̥̻̘̻̦̃͑͛͑͑͋ͮe̗ͭͥ̏ͬͫ͂̀ ͙̠ͫ͑̾̑̈͒͜f̛̙̩̭̼͊e̸͇̝̲̗̳̥̤ͧ̀ȩ̥̙̦̱̞͔̓l̺̳̥̼ͪ͐ī̸̤̽͑͂ͨ̍n̴̘̰͚̋́g̺̳̤̝̹̹̘̉ͧ̽͆̎ ̭̥̒͑͂ͧ̍ŏ̺̦͇̝͎̐̎͆͘ͅf̛̩͎̤̓̐ͦͩ͋́ͯ ͟ṭ̖͔̙̑̑ͅi̦̰̬͎̥̻ͭm͍̞̝͈̝͗eͥ͑.̶̪͎̫̀ͪ̽̊  
  


"Sorry I'm here late." Warren comes in, dropping his book bag apologetically. "The car had some troubles starting up, then I had to help Nathan work the appliances in the apartment."

I feel my feet move on their own as I join the conversation. Nathan has been living with Warren for 4 days by now, Chloe and I haven't gotten any updates on the progress, I just assumed that everything was going fine.

"Oh, yeah. How is that by the way?" Chloe asks, being a better host than I always pegged her for.

Warren takes a seat on the couch, adjusting his rectangular glasses and reaches into is bag. I don't see him with those glasses very much, he usually reaches for his contacts. But I don't know why, he looks good in his glasses. He looks grown up, much more than the rest of us.

His t̴͝i̶͡m͠e͞ is moving different than the rest of ours.

"It's... okay. I mean, it's kind of hard for us to just forget the past we've had. And I do still feel some sort of resentment for him." Warren finishes with some guilt, and my eyes focus on the injury around his eye that didn't fade away entirely. "But, I have to admit. It's nice to finally have some company in that large apartment."

I really can't imagine the feeling of having an apartment all to yourself, especially one as large as Warren's. I bet he's happy to have some company with him. Wait, did he already say that? I must have not been paying attention.

Warren pulls some sciencey things from his bag and drops them on the table. "So Max, I gather that you're having some problems with your Rewind?"

How did he know that? Oh, right. We invited him because of it.

"Yeah, the past two or three days she's been really out of it. We think her link to t̴͝i̶͡m͠e͞ is causing it." Chloe says, grabbing my hand on the couch. When did I get on the couch? I nod and focus on the feeling of her skin on mine to calm myself down.

Warren seems to agree, nodding without any objection. "What about you? You seem to be having your own struggles." Chloe focuses her grip on my hand, running her thumb along my hand. She agrees wordlessly.

"Do you happen to think your problems are connected?" Warren asks. Well, I thought about it. But it was never a thought that lasted for more than 10 minutes. I've had my Rewind for 4 years, and Chloe's issues have been very recent, as far as I know. If they are connected, Chloe should have started to get symptoms way long ago.

But, she hasn't. I've ruled that idea from my mind, maybe too soon. Chloe looks intrigued by the suggestion, she bites her lip. "Um, I guess. Is there any way for you to find out?"

Warren looks pleased with confidence. "Oh yeah, no problem. I have the ideal tech in my lab, so we may have to do a followup there, but I can do plenty right here." Chloe finds hope in his confidence, and sits up. "Then let's get to it."

We start by giving Chloe and I small patches. I've worn these plenty of times when dealing with Warren before. He pretty much uses them to read into our insides and how they are affected when my rewind is used. Chloe slaps hers on despite never having experience with it. I've always admired her bravery.

Chloe already knows the testing drill, she's heard it a thousand tim̕͠e͏s. Even when she wasn't doing the tests, she paid shocking attention to them. I like to believe it's because of me, but that's kind of selfish, isn't it?

We start with me doing some Rewinds. Chloe tenses with the idea of having me Rewind, she always does. She is worried that the Rewind will ruin the universe again, and with good reason. But Warren has already assured that the things we are doing aren't monumental enough to unbalance the universe again. 

Only enough to mess me up.

I mean, he didn't say that. But he might as well of.

My body seems to know what's happening before it even does. My arm feels so cold that I begin to feel that I have no arm anymore. My guts twist and clench in resistance. Despite that, I sit straight and put on a confident look. For Chloe's sake.

"Max, why don't you start with a regular Rewind. Just 5 seconds?" Warren's voice is gentle, it really makes my nerves ease. Warren has always known how to make me relax. 

Clenching my fist and hearing my knuckles crack, I cautiously extend my right arm. The feeling has come back a little, but the arm is mostly still numb. I call upon every nerve in my body, upon the tim̕͠e͏ that is brushing along my skin. Despite the numbness, I can feel the power flowing to my fingertips. In this moment, I truly know how powerful I am.

Then t̨̢̡͡i̸̴҉̶̛m̵̡͢ę͢͞ reverses around me, my world blinks and shimmers, then succumbs to my power. My vision bubbles and simmers, everything is crashing down. My power is too strong.

 

T̯̝͇̼̥̩̺͉͒ͭ̌͋ͯ̈́͐͡ ͑̾̏ͯ̅ͨͫͭͮ҉̝̫̪͙̟h̙̗͌ͭͫ͆ͩ͒ͥ̄͑ ̩̊ͭe̓ͩ͛̌ͯ͐͏҉̺̰͎ͅ ̢̰̣ͨ̐̓̇ͣ̿̉̂͘ͅ ̢͉̤͔̤̻̜̟̤ͨͮͩ́̅̆p̩̖̺̣̙̞͐ͧ̌̈́͐̅ͣ ̥̙͕̽̊̏͋̃̆͛͒͗ö̸̞̻̼͓̗̑̀ ̼̒͛ͤ̎̾͌̾̋w̺̰̏̓̑̌̓̽́̉ ̸̹͎͕̣̣̪͙̥͋͑ͪe̳͙͇͛͆̄̉̅̔̐ͯ͠ ̞̱̞̪̣̜̦̥̤̈́͒ͦͪ̍ͥͤ͛ř͔̪̹͉̖͇͕͈͇͂ͥͩ̚͞ ̨͔̲͈͎̭̰̦̦͖́̆̈̌͐͟ ̛̝̲̺͉͂͜ơ͙͍̲̹̓͗͗̎̏̂͠ ̛͔͖̩̫̺͍̿̒ͤͅf̷̡̬͖̖̬̜̀͂̏̐̂ͧ̓͘ ̧̲̞͕̤̿̓͋̋̀ ͔͕̝̘̘̰͛́̓ͨ̈̆͋͢͡t̨̨̞̹̼̳͙̭̹̊̍̊ ̫ͯ̐ͧ̒̓̀̉ͬ̈́ï̭͎̮̤̳̺̄ͩͩ̾̚͡ͅ ̷̍̆̽ͮ̆ͧ̾҉̫̼̯̟m̸̛̖̦̘̤͇̱͐̓̋̿̓̀̃ ̸̯͖͙͇͇̟̂̔̾͒̒͊͆͛͡ë̸́̇̚҉҉̟̯̹̳

 

With a jerk, I release my hold on space and t̛i̢͜m͠e̷͠ itself, collapsing onto the couch in agony. I turn to see that Chloe has the same reaction, her hands on her head to try and snuff out the pain. But it doesn't work. I can feel her pain. Her pain is my pain. We are connected as one.

My entire body is made of ice. I can't feel any finger, or toe, or limb. I am overcome with... with a force I can't describe. Something that is ripping through me, tearing my muscles apart. Something that makes me feel both on fire, and freezing at the same time.

This has never happened. This is wrong. Something is wrong.

W h e n  h a s  i t  e v e r  b e e n  r i g h t?

"Are you two okay, what happened?" Warren's voice was a calm sort of frantic. I can't tell if that is the first time he has spoken to me since I started to wig out, or if he has been trying this whole time, but I just couldn't hear him.

Did Warren say 'you two'? I turn to Chloe, who seems to be recovering from pain herself. Wait, I already knew that we were feeling the same pain, didn't I? What is happening to my memory? Chloe nods, taking her hands off her face and smoothing her hair back. The sight of her pained face upsets me, I reach out and grab her hand re initiating contact between us.

If that doesn't prove that our powers are connected, I don't know what does. I look to Warren, who looks at his tablet in silence. This is going to take a long time to solve.


	23. Chloe On The Job

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay this isn't edited, so be light on me y'all. I was scrambling to get it done, been having a creative block lately. So time to do some writing exercises.

Chloe felt guilty.

Like, really guilty. Her palms were sweating on the steering wheel, making it a little too slippery to drive, so Chloe gave herself a break and parked on the side of the road. She still sat there now, her forehead placed on the wheel between her hands, breathing deeply.

Chloe felt guilty.

She didn't want to leave Max, especially not after what had happened that morning with Warren. But it wasn't like Max was alone, right? She had Lena and Aei to watch her. Two girls that Chloe had known since her and Max had moved into their apartment. Someone that Chloe could definitely trust. But she still felt guilty.

After Warren left, Chloe called into Max's work for her and booked some medical leave days for Max. Sure, her earlier behavior was not idea for work. But this? Max could not afford to lose her job, not now. That's why Chloe was out alone, she needed to work double time to earn money for the both of them.

But Chloe couldn't work much longer in this condition. Her nerves were affecting her work. She had already ran a few red lights and stop signs, accidentally forgot to yield when she should have, and even got close to running someone over. This stress was hard on Chloe's job. 

However, she couldn't bring herself to throw in the towel. One or two more rides, that was all she was gonna do before the end of the day. Then maybe on the way back she can get something for Max, like camera film or some chocolate. Anything that might distract her from all the madness going on.

So, Chloe collected herself, and patiently waited by her phone until she got an alert for someone who wanted to get driven. When she started moving, Chloe started to calm down a little, she kept reminding herself that she was doing this all for Max, and that somehow kept her moving.

The call took Chloe up north to the college that was in town, to the address that she was given. It was a Friday afternoon, so no doubt the person asking for a ride was going out to get smashed. Chloe wanted to drink incredible amounts of alcohol at that point. Luckily for her, she felt the small pressure of a flask in her side pocket. If she had time before her customer knew Chloe was there, she could pour some of it into the half empty soda bottle to her side.

Not too much, though. Chloe kinda needed her car right then, and her life, too. As much as she felt like she didn't. Once reaching the college, Chloe parked across the street, making sure no one was watching before she poured some of her liquor into her Pepsi. She made sure it wasn't enough to impair her driving, but just enough to... shave the edge off.

Screwing the lid back on, Chloe shook her newly poured drink. The Pepsi was stale, a day or so old, so she didn't run the risk of making it fizz all over her car. Just one sip made her mouth water. Chloe shoved the drink in its holder with a smile.

Chloe started up the car again and pulled up right against college property, waiting for her client to arrive. She tapped her fingers on the wheel like a drum, took a few sips of her lifesaving drink and sent a check up text to Max in which she didn't respond until a girl in her ate teens approached Chloe's car.

"You my Uber?" The girl asked, she had a distinct southern accent. Definitely a foreigner. Well, so was Chloe. So she didn't really judge.

"Depends, is your name Sabrina Ells?"

"That's me."

"Get in, then."

The blonde girl got in the back, and Chloe got the drop off address she needed. Wouldn't you know it? She was going to one of the clubs. Chloe started her car and began to drive without a word. She didn't usually have chats with her customers, unless they started it, or she was having a good day. Neither of those were happening now.

Chloe listened to the sound of the rushing air outside the car doors, and sudden started wanting to listen to music. But she couldn't grab her headphones one that she started driving, and she wasn't allowed to listen to music aloud on the speakers. So she was stuck drumming her fingers and involuntarily humming the only tone she could think of.

"Is that Eden?" The southern voice was a sudden break of Chloe's thoughts.

"Hm?" Chloe hummed, turning at an intersection, about half way to her destination.

"That song, it's by the artist Eden. I recognize it."

"Huh, I didn't think very many people here listened to the same music as me." Chloe gulped after her reveal, she didn't need to get so personal about it. 

"Yeah, I know the feeling." Sabrina responded, but Chloe didn't. Then the car fell into a silence that Chloe much preferred over the noise. Taking a hand off the wheel, Chloe grabbed her alcoholic drink and took a long sip of it. She enjoyed the warm feeling that spread through her chest to her gut. Then she didn't.

Heat pulsated in her gut, and her crotch. Things between her and Max had been so tense lately, she hadn't...

Chloe almost missed her turn, and nearly ran over a biker in the process.

"Careful there." Sabrina said, from the backseat.

"Yea sorry." Chloe responded, gripping the wheel tighter. There was still quite a distance to her destination, which was good. Longer drive meant more money, maybe this could be her last drive, then Chloe could get Max something and go back home.

"Hey, can you turn on the radio?" Sabrina asked, Chloe could see her with her eyes closed in the rear view mirror.

"Um... I'm... Not really allowed?" Chloe said, but it sounded more of a question than an actual statement. The girl in the backseat opened one eye.

"It's not like I'd tell anyone."

Yeah, okay, she was right. Sabrina was the one asking Chloe to turn on the radio, and Chloe had to do everything to make the customer happy. (It's in the rules - don't ask.) Chloe nodded and flicked on the radio with one hand, some sort of pop music came through the speakers, much to Chloe's disdain. But the music wasn't for her, so she forced herself not to care.

In fact, the music was kind of like her saving grace. Now she didn't have to converse. She just had to sit back, and-

Chloe's head began to pulse.

It came out of nowhere. Just minutes ago- even seconds ago -she was just fine. But with a sudden force, her head sent waves of agony through Chloe's body. It wasn't the time for this fuckery, Chloe was doing her damn job. If she blacked out then, there would be problems.

But she couldn't help it. The pain was way too much for her to handle, and Chloe's body shut down.

The second Chloe reopened her eyes, she was somewhere new. Gone was her car, and the streets. But instead she was in a room. It was rather fancy. Chloe didn't have control over her own body once again as she looked around the room. The wallpaper had some random designs, and there were... fancy clothes? Chloe couldn't see well over the film of bright light that surrounded the corners of her vision.

Was she having another vision? Was Chloe in the future?

A door opened, and Chloe's body snapped to the left to investigate the noise. Nathan walked in. The Chloe that was experiencing the vision, the  _real_  Chloe, was wary of his presence. But the version of her that was in control, that one really didn't care.

"Chloe, you're still not dressed? You sure are wasting time, aren't you?" Nathan said, stepping into the room and shutting the door. Chloe wanted to retort some sort of insult back to him, but instead her body moved without consent. Her words formed without her knowledge.

"Yeah, sorry." Chloe's words were almost playful, despite the fact that she was talking to Nathan Prescott. "My mind has just been crowded lately. I'm not meaning to cause a holdup."

What was she saying? This Chloe wouldn't say anything like that. Was Chloe going to become polite in the future? Was she going to become a law-abiding citizen? The idea of that made the real Chloe thrash inside the body of the vision one.

"Well, hurry. Max and the rest are waiting for you." Nathan tapped his foot impatiently. Max, and the others? Who was waiting for Chloe, and why? Chloe's brain kicked into thinking mode and she thought about what she'd seen before. After all, this was supposed to be a vision of the future, and Chloe didn't know how long she had left.

Fancy room... Max and 'the others' waiting for her... fancy clothes... 

Nope, didn't click.

Unless... was Chloe at a wedding? It would make sense as to why she's somewhere fancy, and all those tux suits. But who is having a wedding? Chloe wanted to think it was for her and Max. But at the rate they were going, that wasn't going to happen any time soon. They didn't have the money, Chloe knew they didn't have the money. Everything in their lives is so hectic, too. There's no time to settle down until Max's problems do, and who knows if they ever will.

So who? It could be Warren maybe? 

Ha, wait, no. Chloe knew that the only person that would marry Warren is one of his video game characters. Or Max.

...

Oh god, it wasn't Max, was it? Chloe knew things were tough between them, but not that much. Wait, wait, no. There's a photo frame of Chloe and Max together, it's sitting right at the edge of her peripheral, Chloe could see it. So then who?

It could be a friend's wedding, but that doesn't explain why everyone would be waiting for her, unless she was a maid of honor or something. But, they always have to wear dresses, don't they? Chloe had no idea, she just knew that she hated dresses, maybe why that rack of clothes she saw were just tuxes.

When Chloe snapped herself back into focus, she noticed that herself and Nathan had just carried out a whole conversation. By the time she started to pay attention. Something was happening... her vision was bubbling, the sound had started to cut out like a television. Chloe was returning to the present.

She tried to hold on, she wanted to know more about this future. But she was forcefully torn from it. The light from the corners of her vision spread until she could no longer see. When she woke, she was back in her car.

She jumped up in her seat, and took in her environment. Chloe's car was idling outside a bar. The exact destination she was supposed to take her customer to. Did she drive here by herself, while her consciousness was in the future? Chloe looked down at her fist, bills were stuffed in it. Her payment for the drive. So she did drive herself.

Chloe looked down at the handful of bills and gulped, her dry throat felt scratchy. Her heartbeat was racing, all of this was new. Chloe shouldn't have been able to move by herself when she was in a vision, should she have? How did she even act while she was out?

So many questions were swirling inside Chloe's mind, she had troubles keeping it all down. All she wanted was to go home to her girlfriend. So she stopped by a nearby gas station, got a chocolate bar, and went home.


	24. Downhill

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun fact: you can get a sunburn on the roof of your mouth
> 
> Fun fact # 2: this chapter isn’t great (is it really fun, when all your other chapters have the same fact?)
> 
> But seriously, I hope you guys like this one, I’ve been struggling lately so it may not be up to expectations. (If there are any)

"Alright Max, ti̸̕͜m̵̢e҉̸  to move out." Chloe calls from the living room of our apartment. From where I lay on the bed, I hear a groan of protest combating her commands.

"No arguing, we agreed on this. Come on." Chloe says, her voice still very clear despite being in a different room. Another groan.

"This has to be done, or we won't find shit, come on now." Chloe is on the edge of her sanity, she won't take any more of the arguing. But then no groans follow. Then I realize that it was me who was groaning. And I'm not actually on the bed in our room, I'm on the couch in the living room, right beside Chloe.

"Maxie, you agreed." Chloe is bent down in front of me, so we are face to face. When did I get here on the couch? Last thing I remember was being in bed. My brain has troubles remembering the events from me getting out of bed, to getting here. Let's see, I woke up to Chloe's alarm, watched her go to the bathroom to take a shower from my spot on the bed. Then... erm...  

I don't remember anything else happening since then. I can't even recall Chloe getting out of the shower. Wow, my brain really is pooched, huh? That's why we are seeing the doctor today. Um... that doesn't sound right. That's why we are taking a day to go to the mall? Nope.

Chloe reaches down and pulls me up off the couch. "Ready?" She asks, "Warren won't like that we are running late." 

Right, Warren. I know that.

Chloe grabs the keys to her car, and I double check to make sure I'm actually wearing clothes, because I don't remember putting them on. But, alas. There are clothes on my body, my usual getup of jeans and a t-shirt with my hoodie over top. The same general outfit that I've been wearing since I was a teenager.

Since I was naive.

"Man you really didn't get much sleep last night, did you?" Chloe walks with me out of the apartment, "you look like you're going to fall asleep while standing."

I force out a chuckle to make some sort of response to Chloe's words. I already forget what she said, I only remember that it was a question.

The car I'm suddenly rumbles to life. I guess I was so in my head that my legs just did everything without me commanding them too. 

"We can take a nap after this if you want to." Chloe says, pulling out of our parking spot. "It sounds like a great idea, I was up late thinking, anyway." She muses, after I don't respond. Instead, I'm hyper focused on my heartbeat, it feels a little off. Too fast? Too slow? I don't know, only that it's off beat.

It's syncing with the t͝i͝m͡e̴ around me.

Chloe continues to speak, despite the fact that I'm not answering. It's as if she's having a conversation with herself. "I'm going to make sure I bring up my vision to Warren. He might want to hear it." Chloe takes one hand off the wheel to scratch her nose. "What do you think it was about?"

It takes me a moment to realize she was talking to me. But by then I forget the question, so I opt for my default answer for anything. 

"I dunno."

Chloe sighs, and nods. "I just hope Warren can help me out. Help you out." Chloe's voice is full of excitement. Something I never really hear nowadays. I just nod with my eyes half closed. The car is silent for the rest of the ride.

My lips are pressed against the glass window, just because I'm pressed so hard away from Chloe. Why? Well, I don't actually even know that. Just physically being near another person makes my skin crawl. It's like the t͝i͝m͡e̴ that flows through my veins wants me to stay away from any others. Whether that means it wants me isolated, or wants me safe. I don't know. Or maybe my time powers aren't actually sentient and I'm just overthinking it?

Heh heh. O̸f̢ ̷̛c̸̢̨o͞u҉r͟s̕͠é҉͞ I͢'͏̷̛m ̡s̨̀͞eń҉t͞í͏̨en̛͟t ͟.

"Hey, Max. You there?"

White walls, rows of tables. I'm in Warren's lab. Chloe is beside me. When did I get here?

"Yeah, I'm here." I say, "just a little distracted." Chloe gives my shoulder a gentle rub, then nods. She is in a more careless mood today. No overactive worrying, or frowning. 

Chloe brings her attention back up to Warren. "So is everything ready? Let's do this shit!" Chloe is pumped as hell. Between the spry in her step, and the carefree mood. I haven't seen her like this in so long. I remember she was wary about her vision. But afterwards, her and I laid around on the couch with pizza and whatever terrible movies were on TV.

I don't blame her if that's what's making her happy. I had a lot of fun, too.

"Max, did you hear me?" Warren this time. I let myself get away again, how do I always manage to completely block out everything around me at critical moments?

"Uh... no, sorry. Can you repeat it?" I ask. Warren nods, his lips twitch when he thinks I can't see. But I can see.

  I̴̡͢ ̶s̢͟͞èe̡ ̧͜e̷ve͢͞r͟y͘͟͞ţ͡h̢͡i̧̧҉n̡͡g̷͞.̸͟ 

As if magically, I see Nathan in the corner of the lab. I had no idea he was there before. He is just messing with random trinkets throughout the lab. I don't remember seeing him come here, but all I know that he's probably been here all day.

"You had medicinal marijuana, right?" Warren asks, "did it, um, do anything for you?"

I frown. "No, not really. It helped for a little. but then it just stopped. I never liked doing it anyway." Chloe makes a noise, no one comments on it.

"Great, good to know." Warren says, rubbing his hands together. In the corner, I can see Nathan pretending to not hear what we are saying. I really don't care if he hears or not. He is not the same man he used to be. From the small amount of t͝i͝m͡e̴ I've seen Nathan since the storm 4 years ago, I can tell that something is different in him. Something is different in us all after that day.

"No t͝i͝m͡e̴ like the present, Maxie." Chloe says, "let's get this done." I couldn't agree more. The sooner we finish this, the sooner I can take an Advil, then a nap.

Luckily, I don't have to take any weird tests today. I just have to harness my rewind power while touching this thingie so it can read the inside of my body, or whatever. It's not like I'm alone or anything, Chloe will have her hand on a science device too. To truly test if Chloe is connected to me, she has to participate.

When Chloe and I sit at the table, the device we must use is sitting in front of us. It's a smooth rectangular box. But when I touch it, my fingers sink in like jello, or foam. It startles me, I've never seen anything like this stuff.

"It... um, I made it myself." Warren says, after he sees my spook. "I made it just for you and your Rewind powers. That's why I haven't shown anyone yet."

Makes sense, why would anyone want something to measure t͝i͝m͡e̴ travel? It doesn't exist according to the public.

  B̴ų͡t̕͘ ̷I̵ ̷d̡̀o̕ ̵͘e̷x̡͘͝i̴̛şt͘.̧ 

"Any time you're ready, we can go, Max." Warren says, his clipboard and items all prepared. I look over at Chloe, who nods in reassurance. It's time to do this.

I do what I've done thousands of t͝i͝m͡e̴s before. I collect the feeling of t͝i͝m͡e̴ that wanders on my skin, in my bones. Every ounce of all my power is brought right to my fingertips. Then I release it. A tight band of pain presses down on my head, everything hurts. I try to bring the power out, but not to reverse t͝i͝m͡e̴, only to display it. But-

My vision goes black, then returns. A sickening vertigo swirls my vision and my throat feels so dry it's impossible. Voices echo around me, but their so distant I can't hear them.

"Max? Max? Hey!"

"Hold her down!" Warren shouts, and I feel hands holding down my arms.

"No, no that could hurt her!" Another male voice, Nathan? I can't see anything, white, black, red.

  I ͘͢͟a̧m̷̢ ̶͞t̡̕i̶̛ḿ̀͞e҉̨.͡   I ͘͢͟a̧m̷̢ ̶͞t̡̕i̶̛ḿ̀͞e҉̨.͡  I ͘͢͟a̧m̷̢ ̶͞t̡̕i̶̛ḿ̀͞e҉̨.͡  I ͘͢͟a̧m̷̢ ̶͞t̡̕i̶̛ḿ̀͞e҉̨.͡  I ͘͢͟a̧m̷̢ ̶͞t̡̕i̶̛ḿ̀͞e҉̨.͡

  
Before I know it, I'm sitting in a chair. Chloe, Warren, and Nathan all sit around me. Worried faces. Why? I'm fine.

"Max? Are you okay?" Chloe asks, her hand on my hand, the only feeling I can feel anymore. Everything else is so cold, so numb. I can't even respond to Chloe, my vocal chords are frozen like ice.

"Can you hear us?" Nathan approaches, looking intently at my eyes. I use all my willpower to force a nod. I don't know if it worked.

"Oh thank God, at least she can hear." Nathan says, grabbing a glass of water from one of the tables. So at least I could move my head. But nothing else, I was frozen. "Try to get some water in you, okay? You went from seizing to completely frozen." Nathan moves the cup to my face. There is a plastic straw for me to drink from, I try to snag it in between my barely moving lips.

I hear a shuffle of movement, and Chloe is no longer at my side. She is over by Warren, her fingers jabbing into his chest. I can barely make out words.

"What the hell was that, huh? Well, what did the scanner say?" Chloe is really mad, I can't help but feel a little guilty. After all, it is my power that's causing this, right? I look back at Nathan, who grabs the straw and gently guides it into my mouth for me. Much to my displeasure, but he doesn't like it either.

"Sorry, sorry!" Nathan apologizes, "this isn't fun for me either. But it's the only way. Drink." His tone is soothing, more kind than I've ever seen him. His tone convinces me to drink more than his words.

Wow, that feels great. Cold skin, hot throat, warm water. Red creeps up on my cheeks as I sip the water from Nathan like a baby. Nathan is taking care of me like a small child, it makes me feel so embarrassed, but I don't really have a choice now.

As my body begins to regain feeling, I take the glass myself, and chug the water faster. Nathan chuckles and puts his hand on my shoulder, I can actually feel it. "Much better, huh?" I nod.

Nathan smiles, and I can't help but reciprocate it, despite the situation. I let myself breathe deep breaths, whatever just happened is over, and I can just relax.

"Warren, a moment, in silence?" Chloe says, through gritted teeth. Whatever it is, Warren is in for a bad time. I watch quietly as Chloe drags Warren into the corner of the lab.


	25. Misery and Forgotten Anniversaries

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 2k reads?? Omg thank you all so much! I couldn’t be doing this without you all, here’s to another 19 (or so) chapters!

Chloe and Warren stood in the corner of the lab. It wasn't the most private area, as Max and Nathan were present in there with them. But it was all they could do for now.

"So did you get anything, or not?" Chloe questioned, crossing her arms at the scientist. Warren fixed his glasses over his nose. "We've been trying forever now, you have to have something."

Warren was still silent.

Chloe looked back at Max, who was sitting at one of the lab tables and playing with a Rubik's Cube. Her attention seemed to be elsewhere. "Say something, Warren. This is a team effort here."

"I know, I know." Warren said, leaning over the counter the two stood by. His head was hung low, his long hair hanging down over his face like a curtain. "Chloe. It's not like I deal with 22 year old time travelling girls very often. This will take a while." Warren's voice was strikingly calm.

"Well how long?" Chloe asked, leaning in closer to him. "We can't wait too long, Warren."

He nodded. "I know."

"So what, Warren?" Chloe pressed, "stop saying 'I know.' We need results, and now. Max is not getting any better."

Warren was still quiet. his hair covered his face in shame. "Max is my friend." Warren said, "trust me, I want her to be okay just as much as you do."

Something in Chloe's gut was on fire. "Friend? You're her friend?" Something inside the girl snapped. Behind Warren's shoulder, Chloe vaguely noticed Nathan paying attention to the conversation. "I don't care if she is your 'friend' Warren. I've been dating Max for 4 years. Her and I have been through so many terrible situations, we have endured horrors, and pains."

"I can't stand this malice any longer. The one and only girl I love is slowly deteriorating, I will do anything to help her out of this. So I need you to pick up your slack, and figure what is wrong with Max. What is it? What has your research told you?"

"I don't know!" Warren suddenly cried, and the entire room went silent. Chloe stood, frozen. This was the first time in her life that Chloe had ever seen Warren so clueless. "I don't know..." He repeated.

Chloe took a quick look around the lab. Max stopped her tinkering, and Nathan had his full attention on the conversation in the corner of the room.

"I... I'm a scientist... I should be able to figure this out." Warren was standing straight now, moving hair hair out of his face. "But I can't. I can't..."

Chloe was suddenly wordless, her knees felt like jello. Warren continued.

"Her power is destroying her from the inside." Warren removed his glasses in malice. "Her Rewind is turning on her, acting within her own body to tear it to shreds."

"W... What do you mean?" Was all Chloe could say.

"Something is wrong." Warren said, "the power is causing the inside of her body to be victim to time. Her cells and disappearing and reappearing at any time." Chloe glanced at Max from behind her shoulder. The smaller girl had begun to cry at the table she sat at.

"I mean, hell. She's got brain cells in her toes." Warren was exasperated, his eyes were watery.

Chloe shook her head in disbelief. "That's not possible."

"Neither is a girl that can Time travel. Yet there she is." Warren was louder than he should be, Chloe figured the two should get a private place to talk, but it was already too late. "Chloe, there is nothing I can do."

"No, no. There has to be something." Chloe insisted, crossing her arms. Her whole body was refusing the idea of giving up hope now.

"There isn't, Chloe." Warren said, "there is nothing we can do but sit here and watch her own body turn on her." Chloe said nothing back, she felt her eyes sting, she waited for the inevitable words.

"She's going to die, Chloe."

And there they were, they hurt more than any physical blow could. The words themselves almost knocked Chloe to her knees. Instead, she let out a hard breath she didn't know she held.

"We can't do anything. It's a miracle her body has been able to hold on this long. What, four years did you say?" Warren continued, wiping sweat off his face.

In the corner of Chloe's vision, Max was no longer alone. Nathan stood above her, his hand on her shoulder, trying to soothe her pain. There was a twisting feeling in her gut.

"No." Chloe said, and walked away from Warren. She moved to where Max was on the table and brought her to her feet.

"Where are you going?" Warren asked.

"Home." Chloe said to both Warren, and Max. The smaller girl nodded, and clung to Chloe's arm as the two walked out. Nathan and Warren stood back and watch them leave, wordless.

On the way to the car, Max sniffled and wiped her eyes. She looked up to Chloe and said, "Chloe? A... am I really going to die?"

Chloe took a moment to swallow a thick ball of saliva in her throat. "No, no. We are going to be okay, no one is going to die." She lied. Max nodded, and followed her into the car. Chloe didn't say anything to Max, and Max didn't say anything back. Whatever that was back there, it scared them both. Chloe's heart still couldn't calm down.

"Chloe?" Max asked, after a long time in silence. Her voice was weak and broken, it made Chloe's soul shrivel.

"Yes, Max?"

"When... when I die." Max said, "I want it to hurt."

Chloe flinched. All this talk about Max dying was scaring her, she tried to tough it out. But Chloe had been thinking about what would happen if Max, per chance did... But she didn't want to anymore, it was tiring. But she decided to indulge Max, just this once.

"Why?"

Max's head was lulled to the side, it was as if she had no spinal support. "Because it shows proof that I ever lived, that I ever felt." Chloe's heart ached when she heard that, Max had been through so much that the poor girl barely felt like she was living. Chloe reached out an hand   
and placed it over Max's limp hand. The other girl didn't respond.

"It'll be okay, Max. Don't worry about it. We will make it out." Chloe tried her hardest to reassure Max, but the smaller girl just seemed so out of hope.

"And if we don't?"

Chloe didn't know how to answer that. What if Max died? What if she was killed by her self, her own power? Chloe felt sick. "Then we will find a way to get past it."

  
"Ugh, _why_?" Max groaned, and Chloe almost flinched. Max's sudden distaste in everything wasn't exactly 'normal.' Chloe glanced away from the road for a second or two to look at Max. Her eyes looked glossed over, like the plastic eyes of a doll. The pit feeling in Chloe's gut grew, she was sure she was going to throw up.

"Because, um... because." But Chloe had nothing. She was too afraid to say anything. She didn't know anymore. From the corner of her eyes, Chloe could see Max blink a few times. The glossy look was fading. Now Max looked like she was on the brink of tears. It was sad that Chloe knew that look, she'd seen it a lot lately.

"I'm sorry, Chloe." Max sniffled, "I just don't know what to do..."

"Hey, hey." Chloe said, "it's okay, that's why I'm here. We can do this together." Speed was of the essence to calm Max before she cried. Chloe had seen Max cry so much, she didn't want to keep seeing it.

Max squeezed Chloe's hand in return. "Nathan was really nice."

Chloe's lips pursed. "Yeah, he was real nice when he attacked me." Chloe was still sore from that, the bandage that they had gotten was the only thing they did to help the injuries. Doctor is too expensive.

"Chloe..." Max started, a long sigh pushing past her lips. "You scared him."

"I scared him?!" Chloe burst, before she could even help herself. She then felt bad. Yelling at Max probably wasn't the best idea. Everything was so cramped lately. Even important events went unnoticed. Like the fact that today was the anniversary of the Storm hitting Arcadia. Chloe had no idea of that until she looked at her car's calendar.

"Shit..." She mumbled.

"What?"

Chloe pointed to the date that was displayed on the screen in the console of the car. Max gulped silently.

"Oh... I completely forgot." Max said, her voice was covered in guilt.

Chloe sighed, "so did I."

Max paused for a moment. "So I guess that means we aren't taking a trip out there."

Chloe shook her head solemnly.

Max nodded.

Neither of them spoke.

How could Chloe forget something so huge? Even with all this mess around her, that day is what changed her life, it's what made everything happening right now. It was so stupid of her to just forget it like that.

When reaching the apartment, things were silent while both girls left the truck. Chloe let her guilt hang over her like a dark cloud, and Max moved with limp strides. Her entire body looked weak, it looked like her skeleton was missing entirely.

"You okay there, Max?" Chloe asked, walking closely behind Max to be able to catch her if she fell.

Max just mumbled under her breath.

That wasn't normal, huh? Chloe kept behind Max at a steady pace, making sure that she would catch the girl if she were to fall.

Once they made it up the stairs, and into their apartment, Chloe helped Max into bed. The smaller girl grunted and groaned before rolling over.

Chloe frowned, "Maxness, what's up? Just a little tired?" Max didn't move, her breaths were even and unbothered.

Despite the situation, Chloe smiled at the sleeping brunette, and kissed her head. But as Chloe left the bedroom, she couldn't help but feel doomed about Max's impending fate of death.


	26. Thunderstorm

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note: this chapter is unedited.
> 
> E3 has just come to a close, and what did you guys think? Are you excited for Captain Spirit? I know I am for sure. Let me know what you all think. 
> 
> Anyway, fun fact: I wrote this chapter in a thunderstorm, so... that’s some inspiration.

"What time is it?"

"Uh, 9:17. Wait, no. It's 11:17." Chloe corrects herself, holding her hand to my forehead. Her cool skin soothes the burning flesh.

I want to respond, but all that comes out is a lengthy groan.

"You know, maybe we should take you to the hospital." Chloe says, checking the thermometer in my mouth. The look on her face says that the results aren't the best.

"No, no." I shake my head weakly, "I'm fine."

Chloe lays an insistent hand on my shoulder. "Max, you're on fire. Literally." Not literally. "And I've never seen anyone throw up that much in one go. This isn't healthy."

"It's just the flu-" I'm interrupt by my own coughing, "it's perfectly fine."

Chloe frowns, "you don't actually believe that. You know what this is."

"Do I?"

Chloe says nothing.

"Do _you_?"

Silence again.

"That's what I thought." I say, sinking deeper underneath the blanket that Chloe provided me when the puking started.

Chloe stands, just to pace back and forth in front of the couch. Every time she walks past me, a rush of cool air blows by my face,. I lean into it.

"Seriously, Max. We need to do something." Chloe says, tapping her foot on the floor. When did she stop pacing?

"Just... uh..." I blank for a moment, "just call Warren."

"I think we've exhausted the Warren Card at this point." Chloe says, tapping her foot even more. Tap. Tap. Tap. _Tap. Tap. Tap._

"We can't do hospital, we don't have the money." I remind Chloe, then cough into my hand again. Chloe flinches at the sound.

"I know, but this is ridiculous."

My skin shudders, the feeling of twelve hundred little legs crawling over my skin from head to toe.

  I҉t c͡er̛t͢ainly͝ ̨is,̨ ìs͘n͝'t i̕t͝, Ma̵x̸i̡ne?  

  
_Leave me alone._

"What?" Chloe asks, "I'm trying to help you, Max." Did I say that out loud? I didn't mean to. I mutter what I think is an apology, but I'm not quite sure how it sounds on the outside.

 _'What even are you?_ '  I ask, this time making sure it's internal.

  Y͏o͡u ̧k̛now ͟that queśtiơn, d͏on't̷ b͘e ̵si͜l̢l͢y͘.̶ ̴I̴'͠ve ̨bee̡n ̢ar͜oưn̨d͜ forever̕.͏  I͞'v̡e̢ j͘ust̛.͏. c̷hange̴d̵ ͝a ̛l͡i͡t̕tle͞ b͜it͠

  
It's the voice. The one I've been hearing since that damn storm hit. The one that used to sound like Chloe, but now...?

Th͢e͡r̀e y͘ou ǵo̵, ̵n͞ow҉ ͘y҉o̶u͘'r͡e gett͝i̢n̢g th̕e ḩa̡ǹg ̛of it͡

 _'What do you want from me?'_ I ask, my head suddenly starts to hurt a lot more.

  I̷ ̧wa̡nt͞ ̀y̧ou͢ ͜safe, M̶ax̧ 

_'Why?'_

  B̷e͟c̶au͟se͞ ̴w͢e͢ ̸ar̵e͢ ̧o̸ne,̸ ̧M͜ax.͢ ̴W̡itho͏ut̀ you, I̵ can'̷t exist.̸ 

_'And who are you, exactly?'_

"Max, listen to me!" Chloe shouts, her hands on my cheeks. I snap back to the present, laying on the floor with puke covering my shirt.

  
"I'm- I'm okay." I say, slowly sitting up. But the smell of the puke from my shirt makes me gag.

"Come on, Max. We need to go the hospital now." Chloe insists.

I shake my head again. "No hospital. We don't have the money."

"Max this is serious."

"I know." I say, harder than I want to. Chloe flinches, and I feel bad. "Sorry." I mumble, looking down at my hands and feeling vomit start to rise in my throat again. Chloe doesn't respond, she just returns with a nod and goes into the kitchen to grab a wet cloth.

I gulp down a mouthful of vomit, then cringe to myself. Meanwhile, the sounds of the rain lightly pattering on the window beside me on the couch is relaxing. A moment of calm in the middle of a batshit crazy storm.

The soaking wet cloth on the forest fire of my head is relaxing enough for me to sink back into the couch, relishing the feeling of calm that shoots in my forehead for a relaxing moment. 

Chloe smiles at my reaction. "Feel any better?" I grab her hand instead of taking the energy to form a response. Chloe squeezes my hand back, holding on tight. I can barely feel it. "Max, are you sure you don't need to go to the hospital? I'm getting really nervous."

Mustering all the strength I can, I nod. "Trust me, Chloe. Do you trust me?" 

Chloe purses her lips, thinking for a moment. Then she agrees. "I trust you, Max. If you think you have this under control, I'll have your back." Chloe says, "after all, you are the one with celestial powers."

I try to laugh at her joke, wanting to take some of the heavy pressure off my chest, but my laughter just ends in a coughing fit. Chloe presses her hand on my chest to try and stop the coughing, but I continue to cough until I'm dissolved into wheezes.

"Here, Max. I'm getting water." Chloe stands up so fast she somehow manages to almost knock over 3 things at once. I smile at her unwavering loyalty. That smile turns into a grimace as I lean over and puke into a bucket to my left, all the remaining contents of my stomach (and then some) are added into the already gross concoction of the bucket.

"Ah shit, Max." Chloe grabs the plastic cup of water and rushes back to my hunched spot on the couch. I feel her hand grabbing my arm and pulling me up to face. I've lost feeling in my whole body, my head slumps limp.

"Max, drink this." Chloe says, bringing the cup to my responding lips. I don't actually mind not moving; it's super comfy. "Max, come on." Chloe demands again, and I snap back into focus.

The cold water feels amazing running down my throat, and dispersing in my chest. Filling me with a chilled feeling. But when the cold feeling seeps into my veins, it doesn't leave. I start almost chugging the water down, unable to stop despite my stomach churning.

"Okay, okay. Slow down Max." Chloe says, taking the water away from my lips. I grunt, but do little to stop it. I'm too weak to try and grab it from Chloe.

“Max, we should really get you to the hospital. I can’t stand seeing you like this.” Chloe says, putting her hand on my forehead.

  
I try to speak, but only air comes out for a few moments. “Chloe, no hospital. Not yet. I’ll tell you when we should go.” I say, the words struggle to get out of my mouth, and I end the sentence with another coughing fit that has Chloe worried. “Trust me. Do you trust me?”  
Chloe’s lips purse as she reluctantly agrees. Leaning back on her heels. “I trust you.”

  
I breathe quietly while Chloe stands up to get a cold cloth for my forehead. Pain and agony swirls in my stomach, the feeling of time is burrowing into my skin. I really should go to the hospital, but the roads are crap, and we don’t have the money.

  
I would say we don’t have the time, but that’s the only thing I have an infinite amount of.

  
The feeling of a cold cloth in my head makes me force out a rough sound of joy. My body feels cold and hot at the same time. At peace, and in pain.

  
Thunder crashes outside, and it makes me curl in on myself. A bright flash comes in through the curtains, and my skin lurches with it. Chloe stands and peels the curtains back from the window.

“It’s getting worse out there, it’s starting to hail.” She says, looking out a window that I can’t see from here. “At this rate, the power’s gonna go out.”

  
I curl up tighter with another rumble of lightning. I want all of this to stop. The pain, the thunder, the loud noises, the time travel. Everything. I squeeze my eyes shut, trying to escape this moment for a second, a minute, an hour. I don’t care how long; I just want to be gone from here. I don’t want these dumb powers, this pain, this life. I want everything to be back to normal, before this power, before this burden was placed on me.

  
A͠҉s͝ y̶̛͝ou҉̶̸ ͘w͡is̷̛h̶̸.̵͢

 


	27. Alternation (part 1)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back everyone! How have you all been? As of the date of publication, Captain Spirit has been out for one day. Did you play it? What did you think of it? I thought it was great. But you didn't come to hear me ramble, here's chapter 27!
> 
> (Sidenote: it IS unedited)

When I wake up, the sun blinds me.

I look down, trying to get away from the sun's burning stare, but I'm met with a blinding white coat of snow that makes it all worse.

"Whoa Max, don't look into the snow."

All of my nerves acted at once. I jumped from my spot to found a circle of 4 other kids around me. I have snow pants on because I'm sitting in the snow. What the hell?

One of the kids around me, a boy, tilts his head at me. "You good Max? Looks like you smoked a whole joint."

Another kid, this one was a girl, laughed. "Right. As if. Max wouldn't take a single puff of weed to save her life."

What just happened? Last thing I knew, I was in my apartment with Chloe, throwing my guts up. My head still hurts.

"W... where am I?" I ask, rubbing my gloved hands on my face. The rough material against my skin made me flinch.

"Yup. Totally baked." The first boy said, blowing dreadlocks out of his face.

"No way." The girl shouted, laughing afterwards. While those two are making fun of me, the other two kids- two boys -were making out.

I look down at my feet. An area of grass is exposed among he snow from where I sat. I slowly return to my seating position to figure things out.

When I sit down, my hair brushes my cheeks, and it catches me off guard. My hair hasn't been long enough to brush my face in years. But sure enough, I grab a fistful of jaw length brown hair.

This... this isn't right. Do I have some sort of phone, or something? I need to find out when and were I am, but these two assholes won't help. I start scrambling in my pockets, trying to find a cell phone. But I don't have any pockets. Who the hell doesn't have pockets?

"Phone... phone..." I mumble, searching more.

Dreadlocks gives me a look. "You don't have a phone, Max."

Scratch the pockets, who doesn't have a phone? It's 2017. Or, uh, is it?

I curse, "then can I borrow yours?"

Dreadlocks grabs his cell phone from his pocket, and reaches over to hand it to me. "In all seriousness, Max. Are you okay?"

"I don't know." I reply, and turn the phone on.

November 3rd 2012

What happened? How did I go back in time 5 years? My powers... they must have acted out on their own while I was praying to get out of that apartment room. I wasn't being serious, I just wanted all that pain to stop.

  We̡l̨l̨,͟ h͠ow̸ ̷wa҉s ̶I͜ ̴s̶upp̕o͟s̷ed͏ t͢o k̷n͡ow ̵that͞?  

_'Oh, real funny. Send me back.'_

  I̛ ͘c̸an'̷t̶. I ͞u͟s҉ed҉ ͠a̧ll҉ m͟y enȩrgy.̛  

"Dustin, we might have to take her to the hospital." The stoner girl says to Dreadlocks. I can see him frowning from the corner of my vision. Maybe if I call Chloe, or even my parents, I can figure this out. I go to Dustin's keypad and start typing in Dad's number. No answer.

Chloe's number is out of service, too.

Ugh, I guess I'm just stuck here.

I look around at the group of kids around me a second time. There's Dustin, and the stoner girl who I've heard Dustin call Ally a few times.  The two kissing boys are here too, but they don't seem to be engaged on what's happening here. I'll leave them to their fun.

I know none of these people.

If this is November 2012, I should be hanging out with Christian and Fernando; exploring the Fremont Troll or other parts of Seattle. I don't know these people I'm sitting around.

_'Alright, what did you do? Am I in the past, or an Alternate reality?'_

  I ͝think͘ bot̛h  

 _'Think? You think? You shouldn't think, you're some sentient version of something non sentient_.' Rage prickles at my fingers. I can't believe I'm talking to my  _time_   _powers_  in some sort of past alternate reality.

"Listen, Max. We're taking you to the hospital." Ally says tentatively, raising to her feet with Dustin.

I hake my head. "No, no hospital. It's fine."

Dustin frowns, "then what's up with you?"

Dog, I just want to tell them everything, but they won't believe me. Plus, I don't even know these two. But apparently I do, and they know me. Who knows, if I tell them they might believe me? Who am I kidding, they thought I was just high. They definitely wouldn't trust me.

But what other choice do I have? They could take me to the hospital, and find nothing. (Or too much.) Or I could tell them right here and get it over with. I gulp.

"I traveled back in time." I say, "I come from the year 2017. Something happened, I'm not sure what yet, but I was brought back here."

Ally and Dustin look at each other, speaking in silent eyeball language.

"Yep, she's got a concussion." Ally concludes, sticking a cigarette in her mouth and searching for her lighter.

Of course that didn't work. "No, no. I don't, I swear." I say, trying to defend my case.

"Sounds pretty delusional to me." Dustin agrees with Ally, producing a white lighter from his coat pocket and handing it to the punkish girl. The bright lighter really brings out the tan in his skin.

"Maybe it was cause of that wipe out on her skateboard." Ally says, "I told her she shouldn't have ridden it in the snow."

Is that what this head pain is? I thought it was leftover from being in the apartment. Never mind, that's not important now.

"Listen, it's real. I can time travel." I try my hardest to convince them. The two boys in the back suddenly have their attention on me. Dustin crosses his arms, hair swaying with his body movements. Do I really have to fight this hard to prove my point? Well, If I were them; I don't know how much I'd believe me either.

"Prove it, then."

I look at Dustin. "Huh?"

"Prove it. Tell me the future." Dustin continues, grabbing Ally's cigarette and taking a drag. It reminds me of Chloe, and how she always smells like cigarettes...

I put my hand against my forehead, trying to push that memory out. "Fuck, I don't know. What do you want to hear?"

"Anything."

"Nothing."

Dustin and Ally look at each other. Ally finally breaks the silence. "Oh, come on. You think she's telling the truth? She's delusional, and even more so now that she's concussed."

"I'm not-"

"There's only one way to find out." Dustin cuts me off, looking back at me. "Tell me anything from now until 2017."

I scratch my arm, trying to think of anything to say. So I just say everything. "I move back to Oregon, fall in love with my best friend Chloe Price, the city of Arcadia Bay gets destroyed by a tornado because of me, and Donald Trump becomes president."

Dustin and Ally stare at each other again.

"Yeah, checks out." Dustin says, to the shock of Ally.

"Wait, what? None of that made any sense. I mean, Arcadia Bay? No one knows about that little town." Ally says, her cigarette almost falling out of her mouth.

"Exactly." Dustin makes a hand gesture, "any of that shit was too crazy to just make up. Plus, I've always wanted to believe in time travel."

Ally puffs out smoke. "Fine, believe in whatever you want. I'm not buying it."

Dustin watches as Ally walks away, joining her two friends far in front of us. He then turns back to me, a dumb grin on his face. "So, what is time travel like?"

I huff out a laugh, he reminds me so much of Warren. "It's actually more painful than you'd think. Not a fun process." I say, shivering when a gust of freezing wind hits me.

"Jeez, Max. You look cold." Dustin states the obvious, stepping closer and rubbing my arm. I tense lightly.

"Well, yeah. Its freezing out here." I say, rubbing my own arms to get some heat in them.

"Let's go get a hot chocolate then." Dustin says, smiling. "The cafe Ashton works at isn't far."

By the way Dustin says that, I should know who 'Ashton' is, but I really don't. And by the way Dustin looks at me, I guess that must show.

"Right, right." He says, "you're from the future. Uh, Ashton is our friend from school. he's actually one of your best friends."

Having to re-learn everything about my life makes my stomach twist. I'm living a life that isn't real, an alternate reality just like when Chloe was in that wheelchair years ago. I think back to how horrible that was, how my best friend asked me to kill her with her own medicine.

I have to get out of here, but that's not easy when I don't even know how I got here. What if I can never get out; what if I can never see Chloe again?

No, no. I'm overreacting. I can get out of here, I have the power to do anything. If only it worked.

  I'̶ve ̢w͟ęa̴k͟e͏ņed̕ o͞v͘er͢ ̸t̷h̵e ͡y̶ears. 

I ignore the echoed voice in my head, and follow Dustin to the car along with the others. He has a minivan, which didn't look like it is his first choice, seeing as it is damaged and poorly taken care of.

As I'm getting in the backseat, Dustin diverts my attention to him. "Max,  you're up front with me. We need to talk about your super power." He says, and I swear I've heard someone say something just like that. But it was a while ago.

I hop into the front seat, pretending that I don't see the glare that Ally is shooting me. The seats in Dustin's car are really uncomfortable; I shift and try to find a good spot on the impossibly hard yet soft seating. Plus, there's a smell...

"Yea, yea. That smell don't go away." Dustin laughs, some smoke coming out of his mouth in a sharp cloud. He gives me a lopsided, yet cheerful frown. "It's kind of odd having to teach my best friend everything about her life. Like she has Aphasia." Dustin chews on his lip, "no, that's not it. What's it called?"

I can't help but find it amusing. "Amnesia."

"Ha, yea. That's it!" Dustin starts the car, "I guess you didn't forget  _everything_."

I frown, and stare down at my hands. "It's not that I forgot, I just never lived in this reality."

"No shit?" Dustin gets so excited he accidentally slams his foot on the gas, then he steadies himself. "Not only are you from the future, but you're from another  _reality_ , too?"

I laugh nervously and scratch the back of my neck. "You're saying that you still believe me?"

Dustin forgets to signal ans turns abruptly. "Why wouldn't I? You've always told me the truth, I have no reason to think you're lying to me."

I glance back at Ally. So why does she?

A sharp honk diverts my attention back to the road, where Dustin just cut someone off. "Sorry." He says to his window, as if someone could actually hear him. But, it's the thought that counts, right?

The cafe we go to actually looks really cozy. From the outside there is a rustic look to it, and with the snow piled in the windowsills, it reminds me of Christmas. Ally and the two boys leave first, heading inside while Dustin holds my arm, preventing me from entering. Once the other three have left, Dustin let's go of me.

I give him a look, my expressing alone should be enough to convey my question. Dustin sighs. "You and Ally have always been the closest of friends, even closer than me and you."

"You and I." I correct him, with a smirk on my face.

Dustin shoves my shoulder. "Whatever, you and I." He wants to be upset, but his own smile splits his cheeks. Then it moves back into a frown. "But recently, her father passed away, and..." Dustin sighs at the bottom of the car.

Oh come on, you can't be saying I was an asshole to  _another_  girl who lost her dad. Is that my theme?

Dustin clears his throat. "It's been tough on her, she's been acting like a bitch to everyone. It's not just you.

I let out a relived breath, then get out of the car. The cold air hits me when I open the car door. Damn, it never gets this cold in Arcadia, and I don't really remember winters in Seattle. Was it always this cold?

"Get in before you freeze." Dustin says, slamming the van door behind him. I nod and rub my arms, making my way indoors to the comfy cafe. 

A calming indie track plays quietly through the speakers inside. Not unlike the music I listened to when I was in Blackwell. All the furniture is wooden, neatly polished, and looks quite hipster-ish. See through bulbs hang low from the ceiling, not far off the tables.

The group of my apparent 'friends' sit at a table near the windows, one of the boys I don't know waves us over. I sit in an empty seat, and Dustin sits in the one beside me, then wraps his arm around my shoulders in a friendly gesture. "Ready for some fine dining there, folks?" Dustin slaps on a prosthetic southern accent which makes one of the other boys chuckle. No one else reacts.

"At least Alex appreciates my sense of humor." Dustin says, referring to the one unknown boy in the white shirt.

"Yeah, because it's so dumb, and I'm so high." Alex says, staring off into space.

"Well, I've been told my humor caters to the high type." Dustin brags, taking a sip from one of the glasses at the table.

The conversation is interrupted when a young man comes to the table, he's dressed as a waiter; with an apron and plain shirt. "What are you idiots- and Max -doing here?"

I'm left out of the name of 'idiot' huh? Is this the guy that's apparently my best friend?

"Ah, yes. Thanks for the warm greeting, Ashton." Ally says, typing away at her phone.

"Don't mention it." Ashton responds, "what can I get you idiots- and Max -today?"

"Hm, well..." Dustin pretends to think about his order. "I think I'll get myself five hot chocolates."

"Five?"

"Yep."

Ashton sighs, "just for you, or for everyone?"

"I guess we will have to find out, won't we?"

Alex orders a water, Alex orders a soda, his boyfriend does the same, and Ally orders a beer and a newspaper.

"Why the newspaper?" Ashton asks, raising his eyebrow.

"To drown these guys out. I know you have some in the back." Ally responds.

"Can't you just do it on your phone, or something?"

"Phone is almost dead." Ally says, sitting back in her chair.

"Whatever." Ashton groans, closing his notebook then taking off.

Ally goes back to her conversation with Alex, and the other boy sits beside and listens. Dustin drums his fingers beside me on the table before turning to look at me. "Tell me more about your super power." He says excitedly.

I sigh out a chuckle. "There's not really much to say. I can control the flow of time, move it backwards a little bit. But it's faded over the time I've had it."

"Whoa, so, like." Justin stares of into space, "whoa..."

I chuckle, "it's really not that crazy, man."

"I disagree." He says.

Ashton comes back and dishes out the drinks ordered, and also throws the newspaper in front of Ally. "Smartass." He comments, then walks away.

"Good stuff." Dustin says, "dig in my friends."

I glance over at the news paper that Aston gave Ally. The headline caught my eye.

STORM DEVASTATES ARCADIA BAY. MINIMAL SURVIVORS

A breath leaves my mouth in a gasp. No, that didn't happen now. Why... Why would I see this now? Is... Is the illusion breaking? Can I finally go home?

  B̸̧̛uc̨͠͞k͜l̢͡͡e ̶U̴͞p͘͏,̛͜ ̵̢Ma͟x̷͞!҉͏  

 


	28. Alternation (part 2)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! I left a very important message regarding HOA and further updates below. Make sure to check it out! (Btw, sorry for such a short chapter. It was supposed to be part of the last chapter, but I wasted too much time procrastinating and had to separate the two to keep on schedule)

Attention everyone: as of today, I'm going on a writing hiatus. It's been so difficult for me to focus, and write to my best potential lately; because my mental health has been at an all-time low. So I'm going to take some time off to recharge. I'm not sure how long I'll be gone, but I know I'll be back before winter arrives. I hope you all understand, and I'll see you again with a next chapter once I've gotten myself back together again.

 

Sincerely, Fuffywumple.

 

\------------

 

 

Flashing Light

Rain

Thunder

Wind

Tears.

My body is weighed down by soaking clothes.

By a heavy heart.

A broken mind.

My thoughts come back to me. I start to possess my own body, my own soul. This Max from this point is gone, and I have replaced her. Speaking of, when  _is_ this point in time?

Another crash of thunder shakes my body, and rain continues to pelt my face, my body. The thick clouds above block most light, and I'm shrouded in darkness.

We. We are shrouded in darkness.

There's someone beside me. Blue hair, arm tattoo, white tank top, eyes of horror. It's Chloe. She's 19. And that means I'm 18 again. I'm back in Arcadia Bay. Suddenly I see everything, the lighthouse stands tall yet broken to my right. The ground ahead of me gives way to a cliff. The devastating storm right in front of my eyes.

I know exactly where I am.

Why? Why back here? I try to scream at the thing that controls all of this, but it doesn't listen to me. My stomach swirls, my skin shits uncomfortably as t͟im̴̧͞e͠҉  crawls across it. Rain covers my face. (Or is it tears?)

"Max! Max Jesus stop staring off into space like that!" Chloe shouts, grabbing my shoulders and trying to shake me into attention. I jolt alive, my body shaking and freeing itself from Chloe's grasp.

"Sorry. Sorry I..." I can't find words, I can't find sanity. This is the day my whole life was ruined. Today is the day I've spent the past several years trying to escape. The last thing I want is to be back.

"Max, you look so familiar with this. What did you do?" Chloe says, stern faced. I gulp and look at the lighthouse that has a chunk of it missing. Everything here is spot on, every detail matching from the day it really happened. Well, there goes my fantasy of this being some sort of illusion. The only thing that's changed is the intensity of my headache going from painful, to splitting.

"I, ugh. I don't know." I grab my head, trying to make it stop spinning.

"Max. Did you fuck with t͟im̴̧͞e͠҉ again?" Chloe asks.

I nod.

There's a rough sigh from Chloe's throat. "Where are you from?" She puts her hand over her eyes.

"I, 2017. Um, I need to get out of here." My mind is spinning, I can barely speak, I can barely think. Why here? Why here? Chloe grabs my shoulders to keep me centered.

"Four years from now? How the hell did you get here?" Chloe asks, her grip on my shoulders is tight as steel.

"I'm still trying to figure that out." I say, trying to calm my breathing."I need to get back to the present. To you, to our apartment."

"Wh-" Chloe can barely form words. "What the hell, Max?"

"I'm sorry, Chloe. I'll fix this." I say, trying to search for something to fix this, but I only find nothing.

"Max. What did you do? What happens to us?" Chloe presses, her eyes red and watering, hands on my shoulders with an iron grip. I owe it to her to explain all this, don't I? I try to calm myself, despite how difficult it is with the crashing thunder and the invisible clock hanging above me, counting to inevitable doom. But I think about Chloe, the one who is holding my shoulders now, and the one in the present. The one who held me in sleep, the one who cared for me when no one else would. I think of every Chloe I had ever known, and the ones I've yet to meet.

The idea of Chloe comforts me, but it also worries me, and I don't know why.

I pull myself together for her, then I speak over the wind. "Chloe. I don't know how to properly put this, but I don't know if I made the right choice here. In a few minutes, you'll give me a choice. That choice will to be to sacrifice you, or Arcadia Bay. I will choose the town."

Chloe's face is so emotionless, it scares me.

I gulp. "Then you and I will escape. We will leave town to start a whole new life. Just you and I. We kiss on the beach. We fall in love." Chloe's eyes waver in a familiar way. That part, she's sure of. "I love you, Chloe." I continue, grabbing her hands off my shoulder. "I've loved you ever since we were little. It just took this long for me to finally see it."

Chloe's eyes water, and she places her hand on my cheek. "I love you too, Max."

Her eyes turn cold.

"And that's why I have to make you do this." Chloe says, pressing the butterfly photo to my chest. Fear travels up my spine and down my veins. No, no. That was supposed to make her want to stay alive, not worsen how much she wants me to sacrifice her.

"I can't Chloe, I can't. Especially after what we've been through the past 4 years." I try to explain, yanking her sleeve when she steps towards the cliff; away from me.

"I'm not rewriting history again, Chloe!" I shout, "that's how this all happened in the first place!"

"Then why are you  _here_?" Chloe's voice rumbles over the thunder. Why is she so mad?

"I... I don't  _know_." I cry, "it was an accident. Swear."

Chloe softens. "Erasing me is the best idea we have. It'll save the lives of people in Arcadia, and it will save the pain that we're bound to feel. Right?"

I shake my head and slam myself into Chloe. "Never. Never! I don't care what obstacles we face. Nothing is big enough to take me away from you, Chloe."

Chloe watches as I tear the photo for the second time. For the last time. She grabs me by the shoulders again, and kisses me as my world goes white.

\-------------

' _Two roads diverged in a wood_ ,  _and I_ —

_I took the one less traveled by,_

_And that has made all the difference.'_   
  
  
  


-The Road Not Taken, by Robert Frost


	29. The Museum

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HI! I’m back! Did y’all miss me? How have things been going for everyone? Excited for LiS 2? So many questions! The writing hiatus was really great, but I missed sitting down and pumping some chapters out. That being said, since I haven’t written in a while, this chapter may not be the best, but it’s my reintroduction to the writing scene. I’m also working on a short story to help get myself back into the mind set of writing, and help clear up some writers block (and I may share it with everyone, if you ask nicely ;) )
> 
> Also, now that I’m back into school, it may affect my writing schedule. This year is so much harder, and 9 out of 10 nights I’m piled soooo deep in homework. But I’m trying my best! Anyway, you’re not here to listen to me ramble. Get reading already!

_Without further ado:_

 

————————

Chloe tapped her fingers impatiently on the car window. Max's head was in her lap, still sound asleep from the night before. Chloe didn't know she was that tired. Maybe it was the best for Max to get some rest, but when Warren invited Max and Chloe on a trip to the museum, as an offer to cool down and take it easy; Chloe couldn't resist. She had tried to wake Max up, but it was to no avail.

"We're like, 30 minutes out now." Warren said, from the driver's seat. "How is Max doing?"

Chloe kept one hand on the window, and used the other to run her blue tipped fingers through Max's hair. "Still asleep."

"Damn." Nathan swore from the front passenger seat, "you sure it's a good idea to take her with us? We could have waited until she was awake."

"Yes." Chloe replied, bitterly. "We've had obstacle after obstacle recently. Max needs a day away from the town to recharge herself."

Nathan gave an agreeing nod, and shrank back into his seat.

Max's head was still in Chloe's lap; her entire body completely motionless as if she were dead. But her chest was moving, Chloe constantly reminded herself that her chest was moving. Chloe wasn't even sure if this was a normal sleep. What if it was some kind of time related slumber, and that's why Max was so deep under? Or it was a normal deep sleep caused by lack of relaxation? Chloe knew what that felt like.

Whether it was time related or not, Max deserved a nice sleep, and Chloe wasn't going to disturb her.

The sound of rain pelting the window made Chloe turn her head over to look out the window. It was still raining from last night, but at least the thunder and lightning was gone. Max always hated thunder and lightning. Chloe traced her fingers on the window and watched as it got covered in raindrops.

October had more than already started, there wasn't much time until rains like these turned into snowfalls. The Christmas season was Chloe's favorite. Spending time alone with Max in the apartment, coffee polluted with Bailey's, a bright Christmas tree that Max was always so stoked to decorate. Warren even came over, the three of them would exchange gifts (yes, Chloe even got ones for Warren) and eat fast-food feasts.

Of course, Nathan would probably be joining them this year. Chloe was still sore as hell from when Nathan had beat her up a while back, and she hoped the same for him.

Chloe never understood why Max was okay with Nathan being around. Did she totally forget what he did? Because Chloe was going to make sure that she never did. Max would be disappointed with all the hate Chloe was harboring in her, but she didn't care what Max thought in regards to her emotions. Chloe was mad, she wasn't going to let anyone change that.

"So, I was thinking." Nathan's voice cut into Chloe's thoughts, forcing her to pay attention to him. She had more fun bitching about him in her mind. "You and Max are both experiencing these weird effects, right?"

It took a few seconds for Chloe to realize that Nathan was talking to her. She offered a small "yeah" and went back to trying to ignore him.

"Maybe the answer isn't in Max, but in you. Chloe, what if we were looking at the wrong person to solve this." Came Nathan's brilliant(ly horrible) solution. Chloe rolled her eyes, and didn't respond.

"Why not try looking to Chloe for a solution about this? Test her, look for answers within her." Nathan rambled on. "How does that sound, Chloe?"

"Hm? Oh, um. Sure. You had me at 'look for answers within her.'" Chloe said, going back to grooming her girlfriend's hair.

"But, that was the last thing I said." Nathan said, he sounded kind of hurt. Good.

"Yep." Chloe responded, not being able to help the smirk that rose on her face. Nathan stopped speaking, finally. Chloe went back to thinking about Max in perfect silence. She was uncomfortable that Max was still asleep after this long of a time. Max could really take some heavy naps, but nothing like this. Max being out of wack lately had made Chloe out of wack as well.

 _Out of wack._ Heh, what a funny saying.

Movement on Chloe's lap was a signal that Max was stirring. Small noises came from her mouth as she rolled about on Chloe's legs. Chloe continued to pet Max's hair as she rose into consciousness.

"Hi." Chloe said, softly setting her hand under Max's neck for stability.

"Mmmmm..." Max hummed, half awake. "Hi, Chloe."

Before she could help herself, Chloe bent down and pressed her lips to Max's; properly greeting Max into the conscious world.

"Max, just in time." Warren chimed in from the front seat, as the car stopped at a red light. Chloe relaxed in her chair when the vehicle stopped moving. Therewas something comforting about finally coming to a stop after being in in a fast moving car for so long. "We aren't far, now."

Max frowned, puzzled. "Not far from where?"

Chloe looked up at Max, who was buckling up her seatbelt; eagerly awaiting an answer.

"The museum, Max." Chloe said, something unpleasant fluttering in her stomach. "I told you we were coming here."

Max pressed her lips together and frowned. "When?"

Chloe had noticed that Nathan and Warren had fallen into a tense silence in the front seat, it made her muscles clench up, too. "Like, last week. H-How..?" Chloe felt herself getting frustrated. "This shit isn't new news."

Max gulped and looked down at her intertwined fingers, which were nervously picking at each others cuticles. "I forgot, sorry."

Chloe sighed, she stepped over the line again, Max didn't deserve to be on the end of her temper this often. "Don't worry about it." Chloe said, reaching over and grabbing one of Max's hand in hers. Guilty, she tried to make her anger up to Max. She knew it didn't work very often, but she tried.

"I know your memory hasn't been the best lately, I should have considered that before snapping at you." Chloe said, watching Max look down at their intertwined hands and squeeze them together.

"Thanks, I've been trying." Max responded, laying her head back against her headrest and looking at Chloe, a loving smile across her face. Chloe didn't deserve the love that Max had for her. She smiled back, and took Max's hand to give it a kiss.

Warren and Nathan exchanged a brief glance in the front seat.

Seattle was full of bright colours, even this early in the day. The vibrant lights of neon signs reflected off puddles of water on the streets. The sky was still overcast from the recent rain, but instead of bringing it down;the clouds added to the colours around Chloe. The headache that was floating around the back of her head kind of put a damper on the fun experience, but Chloe was used to it by that point.

The car glided among puddles as the gang (and Nathan) made their way down the busy Seattle streets. The childish part of Chloe wanted to jump out and play in the puddles, but the adult part remembered that she'd left her rain boots at home.

Max laughed as they passed a silly ad in the street. Chloe couldn't help but smile along, even though she had no idea what was supposed to be so funny. That was the thing about Chloe's girlfriend, her glee was so infectious that no one could help but fall under her spell.

Warren muttered something to Nathan, who laughed and smacked his palm on the front console repeatedly as if whatever Warren said was so funny that it needed a physical reaction. Chloe glared at them, they used to be the most intense rivalry back at Blackwell. Now they're just buddy-buddy? Yeesh, the incident at Arcadia Bay really was a miracle.

Something sparked in Chloe's chest just then. With Max smiling at the surroundings outside the car, Warren and Nathan telling jokes that cracked each other up. Chloe felt something that she had never felt in so so long. She felt the feeling of Family. 

Chloe's hand linked with Max's, and the warm feeling in her chest swelled. Nathan rested his head against his headrest, staring out the window. He was older now, not the same boy she knew from Blackwell. Chloe knew she would have to move on from her past. She didn't think she could do that at the time. But this new familial feeling she had told her that one day, she could make it possible.

After all, healing takes a long time, doesn't it? Chloe glanced at Max.

Warren spent what felt like hours circling the Seattle Art Museum parking lot, trying to find an appropriate place to park among the madness of vehicles already there. Looked like it was a popular day to visit the museum, and many other people got the idea before the gang did.

Hah, ' _the gang._ ' Was that what Chloe was going to refer to her little family as from now on? It seemed so. As Chloe squeezed Max's hand, and watched as Warren stuck out his tongue to give him more focus as he slid into a parking lot, she realized that it wasn't a bad name for them either.

It was 'The Gang." It was her family.

As soon as the vehicle was parked, Max jumped out from her side, and stretched her legs with a loud grunt of satisfaction. Chloe opened her door and stood on her feet for the first time in several hours.

"Feels that good to finally stretch your muscles, huh Maxie?" Chloe asked, intertwining her fingers are stretching her arms high into the sky, releasing some built up tension.

"You've got no idea." Max replied, with a short laugh following right after.

Warren had a little stretch of his own when he got out, his shirt riding up over his belly button because of how short it was getting. Max kept telling him to throw it out, but Nathan didn't seem to mind it. But he would never admit it.

Chloe wrapped her arm around Max's, and Nathan and Warren gave each other yet another secretive glance before they all went indoors, and finally escaped the rain.

Once they got indoors, Max just couldn't stop smiling. You couldn't make her even if you wanted to. And Chloe definitely didn't want to. Huge pieces of art hung from the walls. From weird abstract nonsense to beautiful paintings and funky sculptures that could definitely impale someone if they fell.

Max was absolutely mesmerised, she was like a dog on a leash who just kept tugging and tugging. Chloe couldn't wait to unclip her.

As soon as she was able to, Max took off into her surroundings, and Chloe barely had time to react before following her, making sure Max didn't get lost on her own. Nathan laughed out loud, watching Chloe chase her girlfriend around.


	30. Chit-Chat

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahhh, sorry for the long wait. School has been kicking my kiester lately, and there isn't much I can do about it. (I have 5 tests this week alone!) But not to fear, Writing Month is next month, and I've decided to work solely on this story to achieve my 45k word goal! So, hopefully, Hellions will have a big boost in progress (or possibly be finished?) but the end of November! If you have any questions, you can comment here, or ask me on my writing exclusive Twitter! (@ Flooplooop)
> 
> Aaaaaaaaanyway, chapter time!

It's been over thirty minutes.

Nathan said he would meet me here at 6:00. And yet, he's a no-show at 6:30. I tap my foot impatiently on the concrete sidewalk, fingers shaking off the heavy feeling of t͜͠i̸͟͡m̵̢e͘ flow.

Blood. The feeling of blood flow.

_Fuck._

Ten more minutes, that's it. If Nathan isn't here in ten minutes I'm calling it quits, and going back home to Chloe. Who has no idea that I'm here right now. I mean, I would have told her, but I know that her opinions of Nathan haven't changed since we were kids, and I didn't want to upset her.

The best decision would probably to not meet up with Nathan in the first place, as to not upset Chloe and whatnot, but I need to talk to him right now. It's hard to explain, even to myself. Nathan and I have a weird connection because of everything that went down all those years ago. Yet, I've barely gotten to speak with him ever since he surfaced here with us. He's spent the majority of his t͜͠i̸͟͡m̵̢e͘ nestled up in Warren's apartment. Which is surprising, because I would have thought that those two would be at each other's throats by now. Guess they managed to get past their differences.

Iţ̴'̢͡͡s̨͢ ̵̶a̶bou͞t̶̛͠ t̷͡i҉͠͠m̡e̵͢

_ Not again... _

The cold October air bites at my nose, and I hide it in the collar of my jacket to protect it. The temperature has been getting colder faster here, which 3 years ago would probably frighten me, but by now I know that if something bad was going to happen; I'd know.

I bring my hands close, and breathe into them. My breath smells bad, but it warms my frozen nose, so I'll take it.

"Max, hey!" Nathan says, rubbing his hands together and walking towards me.

"Iţ̴'̢͡͡s̨͢ ̵̶a̶bou͞t̶̛͠ t̷͡i҉͠͠m̡e̵͢." I respond, happy to see him finally here. "You took forever. I totally thought that you forgot about me."

"Forget? Never." Nathan jokes, joining me under the street lamp that has yet to turn on.

We both stand in an awkward silence, trying to find the right thing to say. _Hell_ , why did I even invite him out? I thought it was a good idea in the beginning, but now that we are actually here I have nothing to say to him. I want to reconcile with him, and maybe get to talk to him now that we are older; because he seems like a better guy.

I sigh aloud, my whole body moving with it. Nathan glances down at me, his shoulders are at the height of my head.

"Sorry I was late." Nathan apologizes, probably thinking that his tardiness was the reason for my damp mood.

I shake my head. "Don't worry about it. It's just..." but I don't know what to say next. What _can_ I say? 'Sorry I destroyed your town'? 'Sorry I sacrificed your home, and everyone you knew'? It sounds pathetic in my head. Every attempt for me to apologize for my past behaviour sounds pathetic to me. Should I even be apologizing.

The look that Nathan is giving me- head tilted eagerly to the side, awaiting my next words. It reminds me of Warren.

"It's just been so _hard_." I finally say. It's not exactly what's on my mind (because I _don't know_ what's on my mind) but it will work for now.

Nathan looks away, looking at the apartment building across the street as if it's helping his train of thought. "I know, Max. It's been tough on all of us, but I can't imagine what it's been like for _you_ especially." Then he shakes his head, his focus being ripped away when someone walks past us. "We look ridiculous just standing here in the street. Let's go for a walk, eh?"

I nod, my arms freezing off as we speak. Nathan stops leaning on the lamp post, dusting off his black jacket.

The biting wind just gets worse as Nathan and I leave the neighbourhood, with the shelter of the buildings no longer being there for us. I really wish I had brought more than just a hoodie for this walk.

Nathan looks down at me, noticing my shivering. "You're cold." He states, "do you want my jacket?"

I shake my head. "No. Then you'd be cold."

"Phew." Nathan sighs, "I was hoping you'd say that. Even I'm chilly."

I can't help but laugh, but it's not really a laugh. Just an uneven forceful breath that's supposed to be a laugh. It's then followed by a sigh. Nathan's shoulder bumps with mine.

"You're so different." I say, without really meaning to. Nathan chuckles, a burst of steam comes from his lips. "I mean it Nathan, it's like you became a whole new person. When did this all happen?"

Nathan stuff his hands in his pockets. "It took a while. Longer than I'd like to admit."  He says, running his tongue along his lips in thought. "But there was one night, I was standing on the tornado-torn beaches of ruined Arcadia when it just... came to me."

"Like an epiphany." I say, looking at Nathan's conflicted facial expression.

He nods in agreement. "An epiphany."

We are silent for just a few beats longer, before Nathan cuts through it. "I just realized who I was, and the things I'd done." His hand glides along the scar on his cheek. A mechanical movement. "How lucky I was to escape the consequences of my own actions."

My eyes sting, and I feel as if I might actually cry. Those words, heavy with pain, and regret; are the words I've been saying to myself for years. This is the first ever thing I've shared in common with a _Prescott_ , with _Nathan_ himself, even. Never in a million years did I ever think I'd be walking down a road that wasn't from home, beside the kid I hated and resented. The kid I tried so hard to blame everything on, but Instead I find myself feeling sorry for him. I find myself understanding what he is going through, and wanting to help. I guess people really _can_ change, can't they?

Time to put this epiphany to good use.

"Nathan, don't put this on yourself." I say, taking a deep breath as we round the corner into downtown. "It wasn't a singular person's fault, back in Arcadia.  You are putting the blame on yourself, I'm putting the blame on myself, Chloe is blaming herself too."

Nathan nods while looking forward, suddenly too upset to focus on the conversation. I talk anyway. "I don't know, I guess I'm just trying to say that we've all changed, we aren't the people we used to be. You shouldn't blame yourself for how you acted when you were younger, you were a different person then. Not the person you are now."

Nathan lets a little breathy chuckle out, and bumps my shoulder with his own. "As thoughtful and insightful as you've always been, Max."

I shrug playfully. "What can I say? It's part of my charm."

Nathan smiles in a way I've never seen him before in my life, and for the first time in a long time, I feel the true strength of my friendships, despite how cheesy it is.


	31. Max and Chloe (Fluff)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh no I totally forgot to post today! So now it's 8:30pm and I'm finally posting today's chapter! NaNoWriMo has been good so far, and I've purely focused on finishing this story (I'm writing chapter 36 as I write this.) And I've been bedridden for the past week because I hurt my ankle really badly, not to mention my grades have been slipping these past few weeks. So, safe to say things have been hectic these past few weeks. But you didn't come here to hear about my personal life, enjoy this fluff(ish) chapter I wrote for the first day of NaNoWriMo. (**Due to the rush of posting it, this chapter IS unedited. I may go back tomorrow and fix it up***) Once again, sorry for the delay!

When the door closes behind me, I'm greeted to an empty apartment.

Any evidence of life is completely missing. All except for the lights, which are still on. "Chloe?" I ask, into the silent living space. The silence swallows my words, leaving me with nothing. It's only 9:17, there's no way she's asleep by now.

Puzzled, I step into the black hole apartment. It's so weird for it to be this quiet. I don't think in all the years Chloe and I have lived here, that it's ever been this quiet. Even during the nights. The fridge always makes a whirring sound, or the radiator ticks in a rhythmic fashion. But not today.

Something isn't right.

The high pitch squeal of our old TV isn't in the air, the fridge is working as if it's brand new, and our radiator is suddenly brand new and in perfect shape.

Something is _absolutely_ not right.

D҉̸o̷ ̷̛y͏o̸u͢͠͠ ̛th̡̛i͢͠ņ͝k̕͡ s̸͝͝he'̵s ̵h̵u͘r̕t̢?̧͞ ̡̛̛In̸̕͡ ̡͡d̷̡̨ang͝e͡r̵?̶͝

 _I didn't think about that yet_ , I admit to myself. Or... My powers, I guess? I didn't want to think about that yet.

"Chloe?" I call out again, this time more desperately. When she doesn't answer, I hurry further into the apartment, going down the hall into our bedroom. Relief floods through my veins when I see Chloe sprawled in bed, peacefully asleep. Beside her, a mostly empty booze bottle.

I chuckle to myself, no wonder why she went to bed so early. I sit down on my side of the bed, light as a feather. Chloe's breaths push out of her slightly ajar lips, making loose strands of her hair float up and down.

I smile, pushing the strays back behind her ear as light as I can.

But not light enough, Chloe stirs. Her lips flex and move, her tongue poking out like a dramatic dead animal. Another laugh comes out from me, and Chloe's lips smile.

"Too much booze knocked you into a coma, huh?" I say, watching as Chloe comes to. Most of her hair is tied back into a ponytail. But the fly-aways are suck against her face. It's cute as hell, and reminds me of when she had short hair, too short to be in any ponytail. When it was all blue, along with her fingernails, her eyes, and her broken heart.

In so many ways she still is that broken hearted teen, with a fistful of booze and nothing to lose. But she has grown up so much since then, I guess we both have. Even though I don't feel like I've aged a day.

Who͏ k̴no̴w͜s҉? M͝ay͞b҉e you̶ ͏h͜av͞en'̵t.

"Mmmm... You okay Max?" Chloe's voice is groggy from just waking up. I nod, "I'm fine."

But I don't think I'm convincing enough, I don't even believe myself. I'm sure Chloe doesn't either. Her arms snake around my waist, pulling me down into the bed bedside her. A small surprised, yet happy, sound jumps from me.

After settling up close to me, Chloe's breath is hot against my ear. "How was your walk?"

I debate telling her about talking to Nathan, how we had a great heart to heart. He and I are a lot alike. But I don't, Chloe really wouldn't want to hear it, and she's so peaceful now... like a bird who has nested above my front porch. I don't want to scare her away, and break the illusion of peace in the room.

"Not that bad. It's chili outside though." I finally respond, curling up against Chloe. My back is pressed against her chest, so I can't see her face without twisting around, but I can tell her eyes are closed. She hums, "that's what happens this time 'o year."

I let myself just breathe, for the first time in a long time. I don't feel anything. My head is calm, my nerves are relaxed. My skin isn't crawling.

A͞h, ͟bu̶t ̶I͠'̢m ͝her͜e͞ nonęth̸e͢l̢e͝s͏s͘.

I ignore the voice, trying to get some peace and quiet from it for at least five minutes. _But you can't escape what's inside of you._ I say to myself, or the _power_ says to me. Sometimes I can't tell where it ends, and I begin.

That terrifies me.

Chloe shuffles, and then I remember where I am. Did I ever forget, or was I too mentally occupied? Either way, I'm comforted by Chloe's physical presence.

"I'm calling sick into work tomorrow." Chloe says, her arms tightening around my waist. "I'll definitely be hungover, and I really need a day to chill. You get me?"

"Call in sick?" I ask, turning around to look at her. "You make up your own hours, you can't 'call in sick.'"

Chloe's laughter bubbles against my shoulder. "It's an expression, Max."

Her laughing makes me soften, pushing myself against her. "I know. But I couldn't resist. You know me."

Chloe removes her face with my shoulder, her tired eyes swimming with fatigue, and love. "I know you, Max."

She says it so lovingly, it almost comes out of nowhere. I was just messing around with her, but she has taken it very seriously all of a sudden. She pushes her fingers into my air. "I've always known you, Max. Even when I didn't know myself."

Her lips are on mine before I can respond, she's using her grip on my hair to pull me impossibly closer to her. There is nothing else in this world than Chloe. Her fingers, her hair, her skin, her lips.

It all happens so suddenly, my head spins, my fingers go numb. I feel like I'm 18 again.

Chloe pulls away way too fast. I didn't have any time to adjust to the wonderful sensation. I feel it almost every day, but somehow, I miss it all the same.

"Where did that come from?" I ask, with a playful tone. The sound that comes from Chloe makes my body tremble with delightful shivers. It's a sort of chortle that's altered by grogginess. Now, in a state of half-consciousness, she is so at peace. I just want to take her by the hand, and go way back in time. Back before the storm, back before I left Arcadia, and do it all again.

W͡e̴ ca͞n d̢o ̕i̕t͠, ̶M̶a͢x.͟ ̕W͝e ̨h͜a͜v̨e ̕t̨hat po̡w͘er.

My throat tightens, and I push the thought away. Suddenly it's no longer appealing. I mean, I guess I could, but at what cost?

None҉ at̨ a̕ll, ͘I̛'m ̶q̧ưit̶e͝ s̷ur̛e.҉

I shake my head, rubbing my throat to ease the tension in it.

"What is it, Max?" Chloe asks, sitting upright and brushing her hair away. She's starting to wake up more.

"Huh?" I snap my eyes to her, forgetting she was even here. Has she been here the whole time? Yes, that's who you were talking to, idiot. "I didn't say anything."

"But you shook your head." Chloe responds, taking her hair out of the ponytail, and flipping her head side to side, letting her mane of strawberry blonde and blue hair flow down her shoulders. She then flicks the hair tie away haphazardly, she will look for it later.

"I know, I just..." I can't find the words I want to say. "I just have a lot on my mind."

Chloe frowns. "Don't you always?"

I mime her frown. "I wish it didn't have to be like this, you know I do."

Chloe's nod is somber, heavy with dread. "Soon it won't have to be, I guess."

My next breath catches. I don't miss what she means by that. Warren, our ticket to success, the guy who was supposed to fix all of this with his sciencey shit, doesn't think I'll make it out of this alive.

I've tried to push that day out of my memory ever since it happened, and I've done a good job at nor externalizing it. But I'm _terrified_. If even Warren, the smartest guy I know, doesn't think I can make it out of this; then I'm doomed.

I shake my head. I can't think about this right now, I'm about to sleep, I don't want to give myself nightmares. Well, more than usual.

I force out a yawn, hopefully Chloe understands the clue that I don't want to talk about the tense subject. Chloe looks like she understands, and lays back down.

"It's been a fairly long day, and I feel like I'm gonna vomit. Let's fall asleep together." Chloe says, rubbing the mattress right behind my butt. I smile, and shut the bedroom door, getting rid of all the light the hallway provided.

Feeling my way back to the mattress, I heavily land right beside Chloe; who engulfs me in a hug as soon as she gets the chance.

I settle myself in beside her, making myself comfortable before letting the tension leave my muscles. Chloe places kiss between my shoulder blades, then presses her cheek in the same spot. "Goodnight, Max. I love you."

"I love you too, Chloe. Goodnight." I reply, closing my eyes.

And this time, I don't have nightmares.

 

 


	32. The Voice

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! Chapter 32 is here! NaNoWriMo is going quite well right now. Last night I hit 20k words (my goal is 40k) I'm surprised I've done this well, lol. Anyway, enjoy chapter 32!

"I really don't see the point of this."

Warren frowns, setting down one scientific contraption before picking up another, surveying it as if he has never seen it before in his life. "Everything has a _point_ , Max. Even if it isn't in plain sight."

I sigh, sitting back against the cold lab chair. "You said I was bound to die anyway. So there's no point."

"But there is."

"What _is_ the point, then?" I say, getting agitated. Chloe seems to notice, and scoots closer. I try to ignore her the best I can. The grim reminder of my fate is visible on warren's face, his lips tighten into a straight line as he preps a needle that makes my stomach twist.

"We will see in time." Warren says dismissively, wiping down my bicep.

Chloe scoffs, "you mean you don't even know?"

Warren tries to find the right words, and Nathan shuffles silently under all the tension. "I do know, but it isn't clear yet, Chloe. We have to give it time."

"If you know, then tell us." Chloe barks, standing from her chair, the metal legs scratching on the tile floor.

The tension is so tight I can cut it with a knife.

"I..." Warren doesn't know. I know he doesn't know. His face is tight, his eyes swimming with an emotion I can't place. He has no idea, and he's scared.

"Let's drop it, okay? Forget I asked." I really wish we wouldn't, but at this point I'd do anything to stop the fighting around here. My head feels like it's suffered 1000 cuts, the voice in my mind has been shockingly quiet, and that makes me think that it's up to something. 

Chloe looks reluctant, but nods stiffly. Warren swallows, and goes back to prepping his needle. Nathan lets out a relieved sigh and goes back to putting his puzzle together. I don't even know where he found it, probably collecting dust in a closet somewhere.

Once finished, Warren explains his process to me, as always. But this time, he doesn't look at me. "I need some blood. It's easier for me to understand what's going on inside of you if I can have the stuff that belongs there."

Warren saying mundane words like 'stuff' is almost funny, if I had the mental capacity to have a simple sense of humour. But instead, my lips barely twitch into the ghost of a smile.

The prick of a needle makes me suck in a breath, and Chloe holds my hand. I wasn't always afraid of needles, unlike all the other kids. To me, needles were always temporary, a quick flash of pain, which was over before I even knew it. But now, now I can't bear them. Every time I see a needle, my mind flashes back to memories. Memories that are so old and buried that I'm surprised I still have them. 

Of course I still have them. No one would be able to forget a traumatic experience like that. Even if I was technically never subjected to it.

I ͢ca̛n̛ ͟ma͝k͜e ͡it̢ disa͏ppęar. ̧I͝ ͏ca̡n ̛m̕a̴ke i͜t̶ ̴g̢o ͜a̵w͝a͟y͜ ͜f̢o͠re͢ve̢r̸.

Right on cue, when I thought maybe I could ignore it, here it is to bother me.

I ca͟n͘ h̢el͏p.̷ It wo͡n̴'t̡ h̢u̵rt ͘y̴ou an͏y̸m͝or̕e.̛

If I'm not mistaken, I can almost hear a hint of... sympathy, and love, in it. But the damn thing doesn't even have a tone to it's voice. No depth, or texture. Nothing to make it distinguishable, or recognizable. It just, exists within me. Maybe it is me.

_Why? How? What will you do?_

It's҉.͜.͜.͝ com̧pl҉icat̕ed͝.҉

 _Oh, no way. If you won't tell me. I won't do it._ I can't believe I'm arguing with a power in my head. This is ridiculous.

I ͡w͟an͘t͏ ͘t͟o ͟h͝elp̛.͜

_No. No way._

**Pl̵̡e̸͟͏a͡͏s̶** e

"Shut up." I hiss, realizing a few second later that I said it aloud, not to the voice. Everyone stares at me. Warren and Chloe exchange glances of confusion, and Warren sets down the syringe full of my blood. When did he do that?

"I didn't say anything." Warren says, confusion crossing his face.

"Well... I wasn't talking to you. I..." I say, trying to clear the misunderstanding from the air, but it only makes Warren more confused. Of course it does.

"Then who _were_ you talking to, Max?" Chloe asks, intertwining her fingers with mine. I'm tempted to jerk my hand away, but the heat of her skin on mine is so comforting, that I can't. I squeeze her hand.

Don̴'͟t̕ sąy ̸a̵n͝y҉t̴h͏įng, ͠M̧a҉x͏.

There's a feeling at the back of my head, like a small kitten trying to claw it's way out of my skull. I fight the urge to scratch to make sure it's not there. If I tell everyone, they might be able to help me. Warren could make it all go away. The arguing with myself, the pain, the feeling of things that aren't actually there. This voice could be the root of everything, and if I get rid of it, then I could be free.

But what if they don't believe me? What if they just shrug it off, or worse, take it way too seriously? This could go so many ways, a lot of them good, but which ones are the most probable?

I ̡ne̶e͡d̛ y̴ou̶ ̕j̛ust ͏a͏s mu͜c͢h̴ as̡ ͡yo̕u ͢ne͏ed ̢me,̛ M҉ax. ̵S͟a͞y̡ ͞nothi̸nģ.̵

"There's this... I don't know. A voice? It's in my head." I confess, feeling weightless. Finally, I get to get all this crazy crap off my chest. But a small part of me darkens; whether it's in fear, or anger, I don't know.

"A voice? Like, what?" Warren prods, his attention rapt. "What does it sound like?"

I gulp, feeling all 3 sets of eyes on me. In the corner, Nathan has completely forgotten his puzzle.

"Um, nothing I guess." I rub the back of my neck, feeling heat creep up into my cheeks. Maybe this was a bad idea.

The silence is confusing. Normally there would be some sort of rebuttal, or sage advice. But, there is nothing. I feel a strange disappointment.

"No tones, or distinct properties that highlight what it sounds like?" Warren asks, his previous task forgotten. Now he grabs a notebook, ready to write down everything he can.

"Strangely, no." I admit, "it's just a voice. I don't know how to describe it in a way that you would understand."

From the corner of my eye, I see Chloe frown. My attention on her reminds me  that the voice was once hers.

What would she do if I told her? Would she be weirded out? Would she understand? Hell, I don't even understand.

"Well, it..." I glance over at her, I'm sure she can see my concern, because her grip tightens. I clear my throat. "It used to sound like Chloe, for a while."

Chloe blinks a few times, Nathan has now abandoned his corner, coming closer to see and hear everything much better. I just wish I could back a few nights ago when Chloe and I were laying in bed together.

Meanwhile, Warren is loving this. Scribbling everything down, his pen hungry to mark up more paper. "So, Chloe's voice was in your head. What kind of things was she saying?"

Chloe is listening intently now, her shoulders have a slight hunch as she leans in, without thinking about it.

"It, um, it was mean." I make sure to stick to 'it' to avoid associating the voice with Chloe. It wasn't her, I know it wasn't. So I shouldn't pretend it is.

Chloe looks upset, her mouth twisting into a light grimace. This is all falling apart, I shouldn't have said anything. I want the voice back, its been a part of me so long, now my head feels empty in it's absence. Is it just gone now? Is all this over? No, no way it was that easy.

"I... just..." I scramble for the words to mend this situation, they sit right on the edge of my tongue. "But it's not like that anymore. It's just... blank now. It sounds like nothing, I can't even recognize it."

Chloe doesn't seem to be eased, though. She's concerned, a scowl twisting her face. I wish I hadn't spoke, now I feel like I lost a part of myself. But why does it matter? It was a part of me that I hated. I shouldn't be wanting it back.

I look at her fully now. Her eyes swim with what I think are unshed tears. I really didn't think she would take this so hard, it's just a voice in my head. I never said I thought it was her, I said it sounded like her. That is what I said, right?

Suddenly, I can't be in this room anymore. I stand abruptly, almost making Warren fall out of his chair. I almost feel guilt, but right now my mind is clouded with too many raging feelings to care. This isn't my fault, so why is _she looking at me_ like that?

"Max, what are you doing?" Nathan's voice follows me to the door.

"I need some air." I bark back, opening the apartment door so fast it smacks against the wall. "Don't follow me."

He doesn't.

 


	33. A Long Title To Distract You From The Fact That Chloe Price Is Procrastinating

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm super proud of the title. That's all I have to say.

Chloe Price was procrastinating, and she knew it.

She helped Warren clean all his stuff off the coffee table, and offered to get lunch started for him. She did anything she could to prevent herself from going out to see Max.

It's not like she was avoiding her girlfriend. She just... didn't know what to say to the poor girl. She couldn't help but feel like the outburst was her fault, but she couldn't really couldn't help how she felt. Last thing she wanted was to chase after Max and say the wrong thing, making at all worse.

If Max had Chloe's voice in her head, and it was mean. Does that mean Max thought Chloe was mean to her? Was she scared of Chloe?

Unless Max didn't have any control over the vice whatsoever, which could have been possible. However, the voice was inside of her, a part of her consciousness. She had to have some control over what was going on in there, even if it was subconscious.

So, yeah, she was procrastinating. Just so she could find the right words to say, so she could fix the mess she made.

"Really, we should be going, Chloe." Warren said, counting all of the gear in his backpack. Chloe had already warmed up the stove. She was pretty sure the only reason Warren didn't want to stay, is because he knew about her cooking.

"I insist, seriously. It was a tough morning for us all." Anything to keep Chloe from being alone with her thoughts. She needed to think of something to say to Max, and maybe hanging out with all her closest friends would help her find out.

Warren sighed, and Nathan stood in the corner, uncomfortable being in Chloe's apartment; her territory. Good.

"Shouldn't you go out and talk to Max?" Warren challenged.

 _Why just me_? The thought ran through Chloe's mind. It's not like it was just her fault that Max got upset, Warren was the one prying. "I need to time to think of the right thing to say." She said instead, taking the passive route. "Plus, she needs time alone before I confront her."

Warren nodded to that, setting his bag down. Chloe felt relief run through her. Well, that was, until she remembered Nathan in the corner. "But not him."

Nathan gave Chloe a look of 'what did I do?' and lifted his hands in surrender. Warren grunted with a shake of his head.

Chloe knew it was childish to kick him out, but she still hated him, completely. He drugged her back in Arcadia, and he was super rich. Most people would tell her that those things were in the past. Good thing she had a more recent grudge.

"He beat the hell out of me in an alleyway, no dice." Chloe said, final.

Nathan scoffed. "You started it."

"Did not."

"Enough." Warren broke through the argument. His hands were occupied, one running through his shaggy hair, the other clutching his backpack. "We aren't children. You're both adults, you can learn to play nicely with each other."

Chloe's cheeks burned. He was right, she was being petty. She full well _knew_ she was being petty, but she didn't stop. She liked it, being childish and holding grudges was a lot easier than trying to make amends, less effort of striving for something new.

As she looked at Nathan, the only thing she could see was the boy he used to be. Smaller, weaker, (physically, not socially) back hunched with the burden of so many secrets. Now he stands tall, even after his life has been reduced to nothing but shambles. The scar on his cheek is a grim reminder of what he and Max had to suffer, Chloe couldn't forget it.

And the look in his eyes.

There was no more fire, there was no more rich asshole left inside of them. They looked empty, almost conflicted. He lost everything, but it was the worst parts that left. It almost pained Chloe to admit that maybe Nathan wasn't the same boy he used to be.

Chloe closed her eyes. "Fine. But he isn't allowed to comment on my food, okay?"

Nathan looked relieved, almost happy, and nodded. "Okay, no comments."

Warren's smile was almost wise looking, like a proud teacher listening to his student. He is younger than Max, but the past few years have aged him beyond everyone Chloe has known. His hair is brushing his shoulders, cutting it wasn't a priority for Warren. Stubble was growing at his cheek, it was somewhat patchy and looked itchy.

She always respected Warren, even when she knew about his feelings for Max. He was respectful to her, she returned in kind.

Chloe found herself scrambling for something to cook. She used the last of her Mac and Cheese last week, and the fridge was running bare. In the back, behind a layer of condiments, Chloe found some leftover steak. It was cheap stuff, probably lots of fatty chunks, but it was better than nothing.

Along with the steak, Chloe grabbed a carton of eggs that were set to expire the next day. She was going to cook them anyway, they would be fine. Chopping out the fatty parts, Chloe prepared the stove for her meal. Warren kept her company in the kitchen, but Nathan explored the apartment as if he had never set foot in it before.

"I know you feel like Max is your responsibility, but she is her own person." Warren ensured Chloe, watching as the steak fried on the pan. "There are some things she has to do on her own, some things she has to feel on her own."

Chloe knew that, she wasn't dumb. "But it's too much on her Warren, I want to help her in any way possible. I need to help her in any way possible."

"That will only cause you both pain." Warren shook his head. "You can't fight all of her battles for her, even if you want to."

Chloe closed her eyes, hating the fact that Warren was right. This wasn't fair on Max, that she had to deal with all of this by herself, there was nothing Chloe could do except give her morale support.

She couldn't do anything other than sigh and keep cooking. The heat was too high, and she almost burnt the steak. She tried to make light of the situation. "Anyone a fan of burnt steak?"

Warren chuckled hollowly, and Nathan made a face in the living room.

Serving the food, Chloe was impressed at how well it was cooked. For the first time in a while, it wasn't over or under cooked. The three ate silently at the kitchen table. Chloe chewed her food morosely, Warren typed at his tablet with one hand while he ate with the other, and Nathan stared down at his food.

It had been 20 minutes since Max left, and she had not yet returned. Chloe felt guilty for not going down there, but it was Max's request. Sometimes the best thing to do for someone is give them some space. So, basically, do nothing.

Perfect, something Chloe was good at.

"Ah, shit." Warren mumbled, digging through his backpack. Nathan finally looked up from his half full plate.

"I left my adaptor in the car. I thought I had it with me." Warren said, digging even more as if he could find it all of a sudden.

Nathan stood from his barely eaten food, "let me get it for you."

Satisfied with Nathan's volunteer, Warren nodded. "Thanks."

Chloe watched Nathan leave, cleaning up his plate after him. She kept the food he didn't eat as leftovers. Normally keeping leftovers as leftovers wasn't something that people did, but if it meant she wouldn't have to cook supper tomorrow, it was worth it.

"Here, let me help with the clean up." Warren offered, picking up the remaining dishes from the table.

"Oh, you don't have to do that Warren." Chloe never really had guests over that often, so she wasn't sure how to act like a good hostess. But she was sure that making her guests do all the work wasn't a way to do it. Huh, funny, Chloe never really thought of herself as the kind of the girl who tries real hard to be a good host.

"I want to, really." Warren responded.

With a loud bang, Nathan comes back into the apartment in a rush of panic. "Guys! Guys! Max is gone, and so is Chloe's car!"


	34. Gone Girl

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heyyo, everyone! Because I've finished writing the entirety of HOA (and yes, I did cry at the end of the final chapter.) Today I will be uploading 2 chapters! Enjoy!

"Okay, okay. Slow down." Warren tried to calm Nathan down. "What happened?"

"I... I don't know, I..." Nathan said, rubbing the back of his neck. "I went to get your adaptor, and Max wasn't anywhere around the building, and neither was Chloe's car."

A sharp jolt of fear ran through Chloe's gut. Max took off with the car? She was really upset, Chloe knew that, but to just run off like that? Part of Chloe wasn't as worried, if it were her, she would probably want some distance from the whole commotion, too. But Max was never like that, Max never took off without a word.

"Listen, listen. I'm sure it's fine." Warren said, his tone even. "She probably just needs some time to think about everything. This has been harder on her more than anyone else here. We should be giving her the space to process this."

He was right. Of course, all they needed to do was give Max some time alone, and she would be back. Then Chloe could lay her down in bed, maybe get some hot chocolate, and do everything in her power to try and calm Max down.

"Chloe?" Warren turned to her, noting how quiet she had been during the whole conversation.

"Um, right. That's the best choice here." She confirmed, nodding her head sharply. With reluctance, Nathan nodded too. Why did he care so much, anyway? Chloe didn't see him and Max bro-ing it up recently.

But the plan was set it stone. Chloe was going to wait at the apartment for Max to return. No calling, or texting. Just giving Max the space she deserved. Warren and Nathan decided to stay with Chloe, to give her company until Max came back.

But she never did.

Chloe spent hours waiting, grabbing some booze and cards to entertain her guests. The three of them had  few drinks over games of Bridge, Crib, and even some Black Jack. After hours passed, and the sun began it's decent into the night; there was still no word from Max.

Checking her phone again, Chloe sighed. "Nothing." Had Max's phone died? Or maybe the car ran out of gas and she had to walk home. Either way, Chloe was beginning to get restless from the lack of contact, and she wasn't the only one. Warren's knee bounced under the table, Nathan had his arms crossed over his chest.

"We really should contact her, or look for her, or something." Chloe said, looing out the window at the descending sun that was washing the sky beautiful shades of orange and pink.

"Chloe's right, Warren." Nathan piped in, "what if Max got hurt out there? We need to make sure she's okay."

"And how are we supposed to do that?" Warren replied, scratching his chin. "We don't know where she is around here. It won't be easy to find her."

"We can text her." Chloe offered, holding up her phone.

"If she hasn't tried to reach out to us, there's a chance she doesn't want us to contact her." _Or a chance we_ can't _contact her_. The words lingered in the stale air. Unspoken, but everyone knew they existed.

"So then what _can_ we do?" Chloe asked, impatient. The sun had already fallen, the idea that Max was truly in danger was starting to sink in.

"Uh..." Warren hummed, "brainstorm where she might have gone? It's too late to be aimlessly wandering the streets trying to find her."

Chloe agreed to that, no matter how reluctant she was about it. Max wouldn't be easy to spot in this darkness, and they didn't have the luxury of wasting time by trying. Now was Chloe's time to use her knowledge about Max to the fullest. Where in the city would Max go if she were upset? 

The first idea that came to mind was Warren's apartment. She always sought him out when things between her and Chloe were rough. But that was obviously out of the picture at that point, because Warren was there with them, and Max didn't have her own key to his place.

Maybe the art shop down on 5th? She loved that little store, it had camera film and all sorts of different pencils with slightly harder or softer lead. Max always spent hours in that shop, gushing about all the different supplies they had in there, Chloe never understood the point. But it would be closed by now, she would have been booted back onto the street. There's no way she would still be in that area.

Max was the person that really enjoyed having a quiet reflection. She loved to go somewhere far off and quiet, just to think to herself quietly; almost like meditation. Max always went to the most stereotypical meditation places. Lakeside lookouts, abandoned parking lots, the woods on the edge of town; places like that.

But this place didn't have anything like that. It made Max irritable that there was no place for her to go and be by herself. She always had to opt for Warren's apartment, which was always the last resort for her. This place had no special quiet place for her, so where could she have gone?

Chloe had an idea.

"Wait. I know where she is." Chloe blurted. "I know where Max went."

"Where?" Warren sat up in his chair, eager.

This town may not have a place for Max to reflect, but Chloe knew of a town that did.

"She went back to Arcadia."

Nathan frowned. "Why would she go back out there? Why so impulsively?"

Everyone was filled with questions.

"Because I know Max. I know that she always needs somewhere quiet and peaceful to be when she's upset, but there's nowhere here that she can do that." Chloe gestured to the apartment around the three of them. "But Arcadia does, right?" Max would have to be super distraught to have gone there, but if she had been gone for hours, it was Chloe's best bet.

Warren nodded down at his lap. He knew that she had a point, but he wasn't going to let it go unchallenged. He always had to make things hard, didn't he? 

"So you made a really good hunch. What if we go there, and she isn't around? We would have wasted so long looking for her." He said, pressing his hands together in thought.

"I _know_ her." Chloe's voice was firm. "That's the only place she would have gone."

"What about her parents' house?" Nathan interjected, "do you think she would have gone there?"

It was possible, Chloe thought about it. Max loved her parents, in a moment of stress she definitely would go to them for help. But this was different, this was something her parents didn't know about; something her parents couldn't fix.

"If Max didn't want us around her, she wouldn't want her parents around either. Alone is alone, no matter who the options of company were." Chloe replied, scratching her head.

"She's right. Plus, Ryan and Malissa would have called us to let us know she was there and safe. Even if Max asked them not to." Warren said. Chloe always forgot how well Warren knew Max's parents.

"So, what?" Nathan leaned against the kitchen counter his crossed arms showed muscles that were surprisingly toned. "Is Arcadia our only option?"

Chloe and Warren exchanged glances before nodding.

"Let's pack some bags, leave in half an hour." Chloe said, ready for action.

"What? We can't drive." Warren said, standing from his spot at the kitchen table.

Chloe threw a glare at him. "Why not?"

"We've been drinking."

"So?" Chloe scoffs, "I only had a little. I'll be fine."

Warren closed his hands around Chloe's. She tried to jerk away, but he was insistent. "Chloe. It's not worth it. If we get hurt out there, then we are no use to Max. We need to sober up before we go."

Chloe grunted. "Fine. We can leave in a few hours, then. Let it all leave our system."

Nathan shook his head. "We shouldn't leave until morning."

" _Morning?_ " Chloe echoed. "No, that's too much time." Beside her, Warren pursed his lips.

"We can't just leave here at one in the morning." Nathan argued, standing straighter. "We will be exhausted, even if we chug lots of coffee. It's the best if we leave in the morning, our minds sharp."

"That's too much time." Chloe's aggression bubbled to the surface. "Max is _missing_ , we don't have time to get our _beauty sleep._ "

Warren's words came out between gritted teeth. "He's right, Chloe." It looked like it pained him to admit.

"He's _what?_ " Chloe seethed, clenching and unclenching her fists.

"We won't be any use if we are tired or hyper caffeinated. We should move when we are good and ready. Pus, if you're right, and she is in Arcadia; she will be safe there." Warren spoke with conviction. "She knows that place, and she knows people who live there- like David."

"And if I'm wrong?" Chloe doubted herself.

"Well, let's hope you're not wrong."

Admitting defeat, Chloe agreed to spend the night held up in the apartment. But there was no way that she would be able to sleep the night, no way. Luckily, Warren had just the thing to help.

"Take one." Warren offered Chloe a Melatonin pill. "I keep them handy just encase I need them." Chloe gave him a look. "What? You can never be too prepared."

That much was true. Chloe took the pill, swallowing it down without the assistance of water. He then gave one to Nathan, then himself. "Make sure to set an alarm, Chloe." He reminded her, drinking down the rest of his water. "Something early, so we can be out of here as soon as possible."

Chloe gave him a curt nod, and set an alarm on her phone for five in the morning.

While Nathan and Warren argued for which one of them was going to take the couch, and which one would get the guest bedroom; (they both volunteered themselves for the couch) Chloe went into her own bedroom. The second the door clicked shut, she had to fight off a wave of hot tears that were threatening to erupt from her.

Like the selfish person she was, she couldn't help but feel betrayed. Why would Max ditch her like this? Without saying where she was going, or even goodbye. Chloe crashed herself onto Max's side of the bed. She would kill Chloe if she found out about it, but she wasn't here to chastise her.

Glancing from the pillow, Chloe's eyes landed on a framed photo of Max and Chloe on vacation in New York City. It was about two years ago, they just upped and left. A spontaneous act that of course made Max all panicky, it was all Chloe's idea. 

Chloe delicately grabbed the framed photo, as if it would shatter under the lightest touch. Max looked so happy in that shot, her smile wide and uncaring. She was the young girl that Chloe remembered her by. Not yet pulled down by the heavy burden of what she was dealing with at that point. No, she still had a year before the worst of it started.

Chloe's eyelids drooped as the medicine finally kicked into effect. She brushed her thumb against the photo of Max, and muttered a promise. "I'll find you Max, hold tight."

She succumbed to the pull of sleep.


	35. Resonate

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Second chapter of the day!

Max - 11:30pm

What the hell am I doing?

My hands hold the steering wheel with a white-knuckled grip. I guess there's no turning back now, I've already entered the state of Oregon. The sun has already been down for hours, there is nothing but blackness beyond the small cone of light created by the headlights. This car smells like Chloe, because she is the only one who drives it alone, and it makes my eyes water.

What have I done?

Chloe must be worried sick about me. I had no idea what I was even doing until I saw Chloe's spare key, and I heard the car engine turn over. I can't even remember the impulse that led me to steal the car, that led me to drive away from everything I have. But it's too late to turn back now. The damage is done.

The constant feeling of something flowing beneath my skin, the constant connection and synchronization to time is blissfully quiet now. It doesn't buzz in my fingertips, it doesn't whisper in my ears. For the first time in years, I feel empty, I feel light. I feel free. Except for one thing. I bailed on Chloe.

She hasn't tried to contact me though, my phone lays silent on the seat beside me. Maybe she forgot about me. _Maybe she never really cared_ , a voice hisses at me. But not _the_ voice, that one is still MIA. She must care, there's no way she put up with my problems for this long just to forget about me.

 _She barely put up with your problems_. The nasty part of my brain says, _this was just the breaking point._

I shake the thought out of my head. Literally, and I swerve on the road a little bit. I'm getting too tired to keep this up for much longer. I can't tell what time it is, because the clock in Chloe's car is busted, the numbers fading. If I don't reach the town soon, I have to find somewhere to stay.

I have some money, whatever was in my pocket before I bolted. It should hold up for one motel visit. I really wanted to wait to use it once I'm in the town, but it will work for a pit stop, I guess. I've already stopped too much, I should have reached the Bay before sundown, but between stops at diners, and taking time to relax and stop my hands from shaking, it's been hours longer.

There are plenty of people I could house with in Arcadia, but I don't want to. I just need to be alone in a place I understand, in the place I grew up in. Even if it isn't the same as it used to be.

Ten minutes. If I don't reach the town limits in 10 minutes, I'll check for a pit stop. But how will I know when ten minutes has passed? It's not like I have a working clock, and the time inside of me is achingly quiet.

1... 2... 3...

\------

Chloe - 5:30am

After a quick stop at Warren's apartment, and the closest 7-11; Chloe, Nathan, and Warren hit the highway. Chloe wanted to drive, but it was Warren's truck. He won the argument. So there she was, stuck in the back seat; watching the world go by.

It was actually a nice morning, sunlight hadn't quite broken yet but there was enough light in the sky to see the silhouettes of the trees, their branches were bare; ready to bear the weight of winter's snow. If Chloe hadn't been under so much stress and worry, she would have been charmed.  
  
Her phone was almost dead, but she still checked it periodically to see if Max had finally sent her something. Even if it was something as small as _I'm okay,_ or _don't worry about me._

Or _I love you._

But she was always greeted to a blank lock screen. It was a photo of Max, one Chloe had taken with the photographer's instant camera, and Max wanted it digitized. Chloe was never one for taking pictures, she never understood the joy of it, but seeing Max's proud eyes settle upon that photo was one of the best moments of her ever so small photography career.

 _Where are you?_ Chloe asked Max, in her mind. Hoping that Max's powers extended to telepathy, and she could somehow hear Chloe's thoughts. Of course, Chloe has a fairly good idea where Max was, but the doubt rising in her chest was enough to keep her on edge.

"Would you cut it out?" Warren barked, flicking off the car stereo. "I can't drive with that _garbage_ playing in my ears."

" _Garbage_?" Nathan echoed, "this music has been regarded as 'revolutionary' and has had a _huge_ influence in pop culture."

Chloe chuffed in the back seat, _Fall Out Boy_ was 'revolutionary'?

"The Nerd is kind of right." She chimed in from the back.

Warren spared a quick backward glance at her, before looking back at the road. No doubt glad to hear her voice after almost an hour of dead silence. "Thank you, Chloe."

"Wha-" Nathan was at a loss of words, "impartial third party!" He cried, pointing back at Chloe. His playful tone almost made Chloe laugh.

"Just... accept defeat." Warren said, using one hand to grab Nathan's and lightly pin it down against the console between them. He didn't let go.

Chloe looked at their hands, one on top of the other. Did she miss something, or was Warren the kind of guy that liked having physical contact with people? Either way, neither of them seemed to mind the lingering contact.

Chloe's own hand suddenly felt cold. It missed Max's warm touch, her small fingers tangled up with Chloe's calloused one. The idea brought tears to the blue haired girl's eyes. Both in sadness, and _anger._

How could Chloe have been so _stupid_? It felt like all of this was her fault to begin with. Why couldn't she just have been supportive and understanding? No, it wasn't her fault. She had a right to feel the way she did. She had a right to be confused about all of this. Hell knows everyone else was.

The girl slumped herself against the back of her seat, praying for a bottle to help her get through this infuriating car ride. Warren and Nathan went back to bickering in the front about music and other things that Chloe didn't care about. Instead, she grabbed her earbuds and drowned them out entirely.

Without a care for what she listened to, Chloe pressed shuffle, and turned her phone off.

The sound that filled her ears made her eyes water.

She had never really liked [the song](https://youtu.be/9ifK1KHOTk0), but it was one of Max's favourites. The Brunette always listened to it when she was upset, or just needed something to jam to. The gentle piano melody soothed all of Chloe's nerves, it made of simpler times. When the song suddenly jumped into a playful electro-jazz tune, Chloe almost jumped. When the lyrics started, Chloe mouthed every word by heart.

 _Spread_ _your_ _wings_ _through_ _the_ _night_.

_Observe as flames fill the sky._

_It's just your frame of mind._

_Strike the match, ignite your life._

Chloe pressed her temple against the cool car window. The sun had just begun to peek over the horizon, washing the very edge of the world in a dark orange. This entire thing wasn't Chloe's fault, she knew that. The thing she didn't know was how she was going to make it all up to Max.

_Spread your wings in the night._

_Anticipate the lonely roads._

_Don't ever lose your soul._

It wasn't fair. It wasn't fair that Max had to deal with this, and that Chloe was subject to it, too. As soon as Chloe reached Max, they were going to sit down, and have the talk they'd desperately needed to have. That is, _if_ Chloe ever found Max.

_If I want Harmony._

_Dissonance within your voice._

_When you smile, you burn_

_Down absent walls in your mind._

Who was she kidding, of course Chloe would see Max again. She was treating this as if it were some high stakes situation. Max had left on her own, and hadn't been gone for even 12 hours. There was a big chance Chloe was just overreacting about all of this.

_Happiness is all I really need._

_Don't fear the darkness,_

_It's your light that shines so brightly._

Chloe wasn't betting on that chance, though. She was going to take this seriously. It was unlike Max to up and vanish like this, so Chloe was sure to take it as serious as possible. Watching the sun rise even more, Chloe began composing things she intended to say to Max, the second she could.

_Look back upon the night._

_It's always dark before the dawn._

_So simple now, you see?_

_Strike the match to set you free._

"Hey, Chloe. We are stopping for a bathroom break. Need anything?" Warren's words were surprisingly loud over the music, until Chloe realized that he had taken one of her earbuds. A piss break, now? Goddamn it they'd barely been on the road an hour and a half and they were already taking bathroom breaks. Chloe wanted to snap at him, to tell Warren to get back in the fucking car, and get a move on. There were important things at stake. But, she didn't.

"Um, no. I'll be alright." She responded in one breath, forcing out her best smile. Warren could tell that it didn't reach her eyes. He frowned, but ducked out of the car anyway. Chloe grabbed the one earbud that had fallen onto the seat, and rubbed it with her sleeve. Too late, though, the song was rolling to an end.

Alone in the car, Chloe pushed her cheek up against the window and closed her eyes, savouring the silence of the car. This was all happening too fast, Chloe had troubles keeping her mind straight. Sometimes, she felt like this was merely a bloated game of hide and seek, but others; this was life and death.

"Made it a quick one." Warren said, pulling open the truck door. The sensation made the whole truck jolt, and Chloe moved her face away from the glass.

"Good for you?" She responded, not sure what else to say. Warren's laugh was nothing more than forced puffs of air. He looked back at her with such heavy sympathy, she had to look away.

"I know you're worried. I know you're _scared_." Warren said. _What does he think he knows about me?_ Chloe's thoughts burned. She stopped herself. _A lot. He knows a lot about you, because he's your_ friend, _Chloe._

"We're going to find her, Chloe. Max wouldn't leave you without saying goodbye." Warren put his hand on Chloe's shoulder. She let him keep it there.

"Are you sure?" Chloe asked, doubtful.

Warren's smile was both jarring, and reassuring. "Of course I am."

Suddenly, the drive ahead of them didn't seem so long.


	36. Return to Arcadia Bay

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First of two chapters posted today! I have no more comments

Max - 7:30am

When I awake, I realize that I'm in a motel room.

All the details from last night (this morning?) take a few moments to kick in. Finding Arcadia Bay, going to the first motel I had set my eyes on, and crashed hard. I'm laying on top of the blankets, still wearing my clothes. I didn't even have time to settle in? I'm hit with the memory of pure exhaustion I felt last night, and the ghost of it that still lingers in my mind; trying to pull me back to sleep.

I can't. Though it is early, I force myself onto my feet. I want to get as much done as I can today, and not spend the entire time laying around in bed. I can do that at home. Before can go anywhere, however, I need breakfast.

I walk over to my bag, which looks to have been haphazardly thrown on the small table next to the window. Inside, there's nothing but pocket change and empty wrappers. Could I not have thought about grabbing some more cash before setting off?

It was a spontaneous act, you don't  _think_  when you do stuff like that.

 _Clearly_. I think, setting down my bag in defeat. So, if I can't have breakfast, then I guess a good shower will have to do. The water takes forever to heat up, and the bathroom door doesn't close al the way. Lucky for me, I'm here alone. No one to peep in on my parade.

As I strip my clothes off, I remember that I didn't bring a spare set of clothes. I'll have to get back into these used, and sweaty clothes just after I've gotten myself clean. Whatever, it's more of a mindset thing. The water pressure is less than ideal, shooting beams of pressurized water so hard I'm surprised it doesn't cut my skin.

All the same, I allow myself to think as the hot water runs over me.

I want to make a trip up to the lighthouse, I've always loved going up there when I need to think. The way the sun reflects off the water below, nothing but waves, and wind, and the distant cawing of birds. I already feel the warmth of the beating sun, and the memories the Lighthouse gives.

This trip is going to be a little tricky without ton of money. I guess, if I get so desperate, and no option presents itself; I can go to David. I know he's here, and I know his home address. Chloe and I have stayed with him a few times; whenever we came to visit town. The only problem with David, is that he would rat me out.

I sigh, grabbing the crappy motel soap and flaring my nostrils when I catch a wave of it's stale scent. I feel like I'm back in the Blackwell showers, accept here, it's  _less_  taken care of. At least in Blackwell, the paint wasn't chipping off, and the water pressure was  _slightly_  more ideal.

I sound just like Victoria used to, never grateful for anything.

The memories of Blackwell make my eyes sting, (or its the soap) threatening tears. I know I should let them fall, no use wasting energy suppressing my emotions. It's not like anyone is going to see, anyway. I'm all alone here.

Something hot runs down my lip, at first I think it's a mixture of water and tears, but when I flick it away; it's thick and red.

Blood.

"No, no, no..." I mutter to no one but myself, wiping up the blood as it pours out of my nose. How could this happen? No warning, no pressure in my head, no voices. It's  _too_  quiet in my head. I've been so used to the haunting feeling in the back of my brain, the constant presence of something more than myself. But now there is nothing, I feel light now that the burden is removed.

I shut the water off, and get out of the tower, stepping on the floor without a bathmat. In a panic to not bleed on the floor, I grab a wad of toilet paper and shove it up my left nostril. I notice there are a couple towels hanging on the rack behind me, so I grab one to wrap around myself, and the other to dry up the floor I drenched in my rush.

Looking in the mirror, I cringe at the idiot with toilet paper in her nose who is staring back. My first instinct is to brush my teeth, but unfortunately I don't have my toothbrush with me. I'm lucky I have anything with me for that matter. The only reason I do, is because I found my half full bag in the back of Chloe's car. I don't remember why it was there, but I know it's been missing for a long while. Mystery solved, I guess.

My dirty clothes await me on the bathroom counter, neatly folded. As much as I don't want to put them back on, I have no choice.

The -somewhat little- clean feeling I had before begins to fade with each article of clothing I put on. But I've procrastinated long enough, it's time to get a move on with my day. If I spend too long pushing away my tasks, this will have all been for nothing.

On my way out of the room, I carefully make my ratty bed, and sling my bag around my shoulder. I'm tempted to drive, but I need to get fresh air, and despite being rebuilt from the ground up; it's still the same small place I always knew. The door locks behind me in a loud shift of metal, and I pocket the key.

It feels nice to finally get some fresh air. Not the stale city air, but the fresh oceanic air of Arcadia Bay. I'm near the edge of town, so the lighthouse shouldn't be that far walk of a walk. The sound of wind shifting between the trees makes me feel almost nostalgic. Birds sing at each other overhead.

I've visited a few times in the past year, and every time it felt like a burden to be back here. Some sort of curse, or karma getting paid. I destroyed it, so I get the guilt of coming back year after year.

But now, I'm here on my own terms. I walk the soil alone, I take in the sunlight, I'm here because I want to be, not because I'm obligated to be. The lightness in my head has translated down to my feet. I find there is a spring in my step as I get closer to the lighthouse. My worries are gone, my strife is gone.

I know it's only temporary, but sometimes these little escapes are all I need.

\-----

Chloe - 8:15am

Chloe really had to pee.

She hadn't used the bathroom since before they started the drive. Which was a problem, because she gulped down a lot of water, mixed with some Gatorade. Every time they stopped at a gas station, Chloe would make Nathan fetch her something while she waited in the car. It was her opportunity to have some alone time, and get a drink out of it too.

So there she sat, cross-legged in the back seat. She wanted to tell Warren to pull over, or stop at the nearest gas station, but they were so close to Arcadia Bay. To close to stop for any breaks. They were on the home stretch.

While Nathan and Warren argued in the front seats about which Star wars movie was the worst, Chloe listened to her thumping music in her ear earbuds, and tried not to think about how her bladder was about to explode.

"No, no. You're wrong, you're so wrong." Chloe heard Nathan say, when she removed her left ear bud. Her playlist had come to an end, there was nothing but silence in her right ear.

Warren chuckled, but didn't respond. Instead, he quickly gave Chloe a glance before looking back at the road ahead of him. "How you holding up, Chloe?" It was a dumb question, they both knew it. Chloe squeezed her legs together, trying not to think of rushing waterfalls or anything of the colour yellow.

"I'm fine." She said, her voice strained.

Warren noticed, his eyes peering at her through the rear view mirror. "You sure?"

There was no use in lying about it. "Yeah. I just have to piss."

Warren nodded at the road, as if he knew the feeling. "Alright, we can stop by the next gas station, if you'd like."

She wanted to reject the offer, and tell him to drive until they found the Bay, but what good would Chloe be in helping if she was too busy concentrating on her full bladder? Or if she pissed herself.

Her agreement was in her silence.

"Or, you can pee in your pants, that's also an option." Nathan spoke, noting Chloe's silence and mistaking it for rejection. Chloe wanted to reach up and smack the back of Nathan's head, but the sharp movement would have made her feel worlds worse, so she just let it pass while Warren laughed.

It had been a while since they had passed any signs, and Chloe wasn't keeping track of the time, so she wasn't sure how long it would take for them to reach Arcadia; or a gas station.

So, instead, Chloe filled her thoughts with possible scenarios for when she met up with Max again. It was her sixth time doing it the entire car ride. She wanted to make it up to Max, she wanted to hold the smaller girl in her arms until everything went away. Was that so much to ask for?

Apparently for Chloe, it was.

Nathan flicked on the radio, then turned it down when Warren let out a grunt of disdain. Chloe noticed some sort of energy between Warren and Nathan. The same one she always felt when she was with Max. It could have just been her mind, aching to see Max safe and sound, or something was going on between those boys.

She would have to ask them later, because an unmistakable object came into view from the corner of Chloe's eye. It was a lighthouse, rebuilt after a terrible storm knocked it down.

They had reached Arcadia Bay.

\----

Max - 8:30am

I'm not going to lie, it feels really good to flop onto a bed after a good walk. Of course, this mattress is made of pure stone, and the blankets are ratty, but the sentiment is still there.

A light sweat has begun dripping down my forehead. On my way back from the lighthouse, I broke into a jog, and took the last half mile like a champ. Just because I could. I breathe heavily into the blankets, taking in the gross smell. I'm not sure why I even came back to the motel, instead of continuing on with my day of relaxation.

I could have gone to a diner instead, but then I remember that I have almost no money. I could have taken a walk around, but I already know these streets like the back of my hands.

Only now I realize, I came back here because I nothing else to do here. The only thing I really planned on doing was visiting the lighthouse. Now that I've done that, I have no more purpose.

My head feels light when I lift it from the mattress. After years of begging the heaviness, the burden to get out of my head; I want it back. It's always been a part of me, like it's own organ. I feel like I'm missing a lung.

Fin̴al̵ļy.͠

Like flooding water, the pressure rushes over my brain. It's an invisible clamp that presses against around my temples. My skin tightens.

It's back?

I'͠m ̛b͢ac͠k.͡

 _Why?_  Is the only thing I can think, massaging my temple with my finger. I have to remember how to breathe properly.

Beca̛u҉s͝e͢ no̕w ҉you̡ kno͠w that ͡yo͢u̵ ne͜ed͞ m̨e̶.

 _Need you?_  I scoff aloud,  _I don't_ need  _you._

You c̸all͘ed m̛e҉ ̸a lu̧n̨g͡, you s͜a̕i͘d ͟yo̢u͟ wa͘n̨ted ͞m͠e back.̛

_I don't want you back I want the pressure. The feeling of you. Nothing more._

A deep sound comes from the back of my brain, like the growl of an animal.

Y͘ou ar͏e̡ the m͢o͞st͞ c̵o͠mp҉li̧c̛a͞t͞ed͜ h̶um̛an on ea̧rt͘h, ҉M҉ax҉įņe͞.̵ On҉e͘ m͞inu̸te yo͞u̵ want͡ me̕,͝ t̡he͠n͝ you ̛d͘o͞n̕'t.҉ O͏ne ̕m̢inut̵e͝ y̡oų ͠n̶e̸e͘d me,̶ t̢he̴n ҉you ͜ḑo͜n̡'͏t

 _This is stupid,_  I try to say aloud, but instead it bounces around my skull.

I ҉a̴m̕ ̢a ͢p͠i̷ece ̵o͏f ҉you, M͘ax͞.͟ ͘Yoư w҉an̶t͘ ͝m̕e͟,͜ ̴you ne̵ed me, ̧y͘ou͘ c͡a̛n't g̷et͜ ͡rid of̧ m̧e.

I don't know what I want anymore. I don't know what I need anymore. That's why I came out to Arcadia, to find myself again. Now this disembodied voice is messing everything.

I ̷am n̷o҉t ̵d͞įse͞m̡bodi͘e͏d̢,̴ ̢M̧axi̢n̵e. Yoư a̵re̕ m̨y ͟bod͝y.

_I am nothing to you._

There is a deafening silence.

I wish I could tear all of this out of my head. I wish I wouldn't want it, I wish I wouldn't need it. It kills me to want it, it kills me to crave its presence. Because I hate it. I want to trace it back to where it hides, and destroy it forever.

I͟f ̕you w͏an͟t to ̧g҉et̸ t̕o ͏me̷, M͢a͝x.͘ You n͏eed to ͝com͘e ̕f̷i͠nd me,͡ ̨first.҉

The voice retreats, and I chase it into the back of my mind.


	37. Time is Ticking

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Second chapter of the day, also, it's unedited so beware of that.

Chloe - 8:35am

"So, now the biggest question of them all. How are we going to find her?" Warren asked, slowing down as the truck entered town limits.

It would be pointless, not to mention a huge waste of time, to wander aimlessly around and call Max's name like a dog. Chloe needed to come up with at least a few plans before resorting to that.

Chloe was growing antsy in the back of the truck, her full bladder unable to be ignored much further. "I hope she's somewhere with a bathroom."

To her surprise, Nathan actually seemed annoyed with Chloe. He thought Chloe wasn't taking this seriously. What's it to him? Max was  _Chloe's_  girlfriend, her companion, her partner in time. This situation was as serious as a heart attack for her. It just so happened that Chloe wasn't good at thinking clearly when she was about to piss in her pants.

"It's probably a long stretch, but should we check David's place?" Nathan offered up, refusing to look out his window.

"No way, he would have told us by now." Chloe said, shutting out the argument entirely.

"It's something, at least. We shouldn't turn down every shot we have." Warren argued, as the truck stopped at a red light. "We have to have an idea soon, we can't just aimlessly drive until we come up with something."

Chloe sighed. "Okay, yeah. Let's talk to David."

Chloe used to resent David. She always thought of him as William's 'replacement.' He was Joyce's poorly chosen coping mechanism after Chloe's father had died. But that was when she was a child. After everything happened that one fateful week in Arcadia Bay, she grew up, and realized that David wasn't some imposer. He was a man that loved her mother just as much as Chloe did.

There was still a razor thin like of tension that was strung around Chloe and David, one that neither could seem to break, but they learned how to move around it. That was enough for Chloe.

She knew the way to his small house, her and Max would always crash at David's place whenever they visited the Bay. It was never Chloe's first option, but it was cheaper to crash at David's house.

Chloe had to direct Warren where to go, because unlike Max and Chloe, he never stayed at David's place when they were all in town. Despite the many times Max said, "aww, come on Warren; stay at David's place with us. He loves company!" He always gently refused, and got a motel by himself. Chloe found it respectable.

When the truck rolled up to David's small house near the beach, Chloe let out a small sigh. Every time she looked at David, she only saw her mother. Old scars that Chloe knew would never heal. She could tell that even David was burdened with Joyce's loss. It was something they shared in common on a deeper level.

Chloe gulped.

At the door, Chloe gave a couple sharp knocks, then sat back and waited for an answer. For a few long moments, there was no response, and Chloe was worried that David wasn't around; despite his vehicle parked in the driveway.

The sound of a shifting lock came from the door, and David's gruff face poked out. "Hello?"

It had been a while since Chloe had seen him. He looked... bad. His beard was unkempt, and started to grow long. He was always so anal about keeping it trim and 'professional looking,' but this was the look of a man who gave up shaving a long time ago. His eyes were drooping from tiredness, a little red around the edges.

Something twisted in Chloe's gut, and it wasn't her bladder. Something was definitely wrong. for years after Joyce's passing, he kept much better care of himself. He thought it was "what she would have wanted," as he put it. But to see him like this, like he hadn't slept in days. It made worry swirl in Chloe's gut.

"Oh, Chloe." David perked up at the sight of his step daughter. He ran a hand across his beard, "I wasn't expecting you."

"Yeah." Chloe let out a sharp puff of air that was supposed to be a laugh. "This is kind of a last minute thing."

David's eyes scanned the three of them, briefly pausing on Nathan. the boy noticed, looking down and scratching the ugly scar on his cheek.

"Um, come in." David finally said, opening the door enough for everyone to enter. Chloe slinked in immediately, letting David know she had to use the washroom before heading down the right hall.

After her bladder was emptied, Chloe felt her mind sharpen. Her task was now the only thing that was on her mind. Find Max, whatever the costs.

As Chloe washed her hands, she looked at herself in the mirror. She hated what she saw. Her hair, which was let down, was all mussed and frizzed. Her eyes looked bloodshot and hyper focused. The right side of her face looked slightly sunken in and pale. Probably from pressing it against the car window for several hours.

She didn't want Max to see her like this.

Before she left the bathroom, Chloe splashed cold water on her face. It was something that she had seen Max do several times. If it was calming to her, maybe it could give Chloe a moment of clarity, too.

Chloe sputtered and stumbled back, trying to separate herself from the feeling of drowning on her own two feet. Nope, not relaxing at all. Not one bit. Chloe tried to blow out some of the water that had gotten in her nose. She felt strangely alert. Well, it worked. Just not in the way Chloe had hoped it would.

When Chloe entered the living room, Warren and Nathan were settled on the couch, while David was in the kitchen; making them both coffee. Chloe whipped invisible dust off her shirt as she sat down on the couch opposite the boys.

"Really, we won't be here long, David." Warren was trying to persuade the older man, who was still focused on his task. "Just a question or two, then we are out of your hair."

David laughed, a deep sound from his throat. "Please, take your time. It gets quiet around here."

The silence he was met with made his back straighten.

When David finally sat down on the couch beside Chloe, she dove right into the questions. "David, have you seen Max?"

David's expression shifts into a puzzled look. "Max? 'Course not. What would I have seen her for?"

Chloe didn't want to outright say it, so she paused for a moment. She couldn't say that she "lost" Max, because that would imply that she's like a dog; a pet. Chloe needed to bit her lip from confessing that she was the one that drove Max away. She should have probably given this conversation a few minutes of thought in the car.

"Max went missing yesterday. We just came here to see if maybe this is where she went." The words feel bitter in Chloe's mouth, and she had to spit them out as fast as she could.  _Missing_ , because of Chloe.

The expression on David's face darkened. "I see."

Warren cleared his throat. "You say that you haven't seen her around here? She didn't visit you?"

David shook his head. "No, No signs of Max around here."

\----

Max - ???

...

...

...

\----

Chloe - 9:00am

Well, David's place was a bust. So was the Lighthouse, and the junkyard. They had searched all three areas in record time, not a single second to be wasted.

"We've covered all the key places she would have gone." Chloe said, as the truck entered back into Arcadia Bay city limits. She was ready to admit failure, she was ready to admit she was wrong about Max being in the Bay. "She's obviously not here."

Misery and defeat hung in the car, it was thick and gave the air a heavy feeling. No one spoke, they just let Chloe's words bounce around the walls. Warren was frighteningly silent, whereas Nathan's ragged breaths were loud and heavy. "No." His voice was so quiet, Chloe almost thought it was a trick of her ears.

"No. No. Now is the time we tear this town apart. We look for her." His voice leaked determination, more determination than Warren and Chloe still had left in them. "She's here, I  _know_  she's here."

How was Nathan the only one in the car that still had confidence? Even Chloe felt like giving up at the point they reached.

"What's it to you, Nathan?" Chloe grumbled, "why do you care?"

Nathan's nostrils flared, "Max is my friend. She understands me, she cares about me. She doesn't judge me the second she lays eyes on me." The accusation was sharp. "She's taken her time to get to know me, and care about me. Friends look out for each other, they care for each other. I'm finding her, with or without you."

The boy had a fire in his eyes, Chloe couldn't deny that.

She sighed, "okay. Let's rip this town apart." She couldn't believe it was  _Nathan Prescott_  that was giving her motivation.

"Just look for her, or Chloe's car. It's not like many people around here have a licence plate from out of state." Nathan said, almost sticking his head out of the window. He wasn't wrong. Arcadia Bay wasn't quite the most tourist worthy location. If people wanted to visit Oregon, they would go to Portland. Even Chloe wanted to be in Portland more than the Bay.

Warren grunted, slowing down so everyone could see everything that passed by. He wasn't on board with this, but Chloe didn't expect him. He was a man with purpose, everything he did was calculated; with specific intent.

Nathan rolled down the window and  _actually_  stuck his head out the window. Chloe had to fight to suppress a laugh. This wasn't the time for laughs, Chloe needed to focus on the streets. Her eyes stuck to everything and anything in sight, trying to attach to her girlfriend, or even her car.

"Chloe's car! I see it!" Nathan said, getting so excited that he accidentally smacked his head on the roof of the window. Chloe followed to where Nathan was looking, to a crappy motel room with her car parked in front of one of the rooms.

The second Warren parked at the motel, Chloe sprung out of the truck. She hugged the truck, as if it was Max herself. "She's here."

"Where?" Warren asked, looking at the shitty place. It was definitely one of the new additions to the Bay.

"Probably this room." Chloe nodded towards the door right in front of them. Max's room.

She walked up to the window. It was mostly covered by a curtain, but there was a crack that Chloe could see through. There was a table right against the window, and on it, was Max's favorite book bag.

"She's here! It's her bag!" Chloe called back to the boys, who rushed to see what she was on about. Chloe couldn't see far enough into the room to tell if Max was in there, but she had to hope she was.

Warren knocked on the room door abruptly, a loud crack against the wooden material. After several seconds, there was no response. Warren's eyes narrowed, and he tried again, louder. But no Max came to the door, no noises from within, not even a stir.

A pit formed in Chloe's stomach. "Maybe she's just sleeping, or in the bathroom?" But Warren's face grew grim, he shook his head. Nathan wrapped his around his stomach, like a Boa Constrictor.

"Max? Open up, Max." Chloe gently tapped at the door, trying to be soothing. What is she was scared in there, the Time rotting at her brain? She needed to get in there. The lock was a traditional one, that needed a key, not one of those plastic cards like the fancy hotels.

Chloe then tore the hairpins out of her hair, Warren stared at her. "What do you expect to do with those?" He asked, though Chloe was sure that he already knew. She had only done this a few times, with varying degrees of success. Getting onto one knee, Chloe stuck a hair pin in the lock, and began to rotate it.

It was a painstaking process, especially with the minimal amount of tools, but Chloe was tough, and good with this. The lock clicked open after a few minutes of tampering.  Warren let out a sound of pleasant surprise, and Nathan bolted into the room.

"Nice work." Warren commented on his way inside. Chloe surprised herself by beaming at the compliment. The mood shifted once inside. Despite the building being rather new, it looked a thousand years old. The seafoam green paint began to chip off the walls, exposing a pale undercoat. The carpet was frizzed and chewed at beneath Chloe's shoes.

Max's unconscious body was laying on one of the stained beds.

Nathan was already sitting beside her, his fingers on his throat. "She's still got a pulse, she's breathing."

Chloe let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding. It didn't occur to her that Max may have been dead, just peacefully sleeping. Chloe brushed Max's somewhat shaggy hair from her face. Her freckled cheeks were rather pale, her brow was tight, eyes squeezed shut. She looked anything but peaceful. "Sleeping, then. Let's wake her up and get the hell out of here."

Warren opened his previously pursed lips. "That doesn't look like sleep to me."

Chloe laid a clammy hand over Max's forehead, feeling for abnormalities in temperature. She found none. "Then what do you suggest it is."

The boy looked puzzled, scanning Max's face to search for any indicators. "Not sure. Maybe she was knocked unconscious?" But Chloe saw no physical injuries. "Or... something resembling a coma."

Chloe's mouth felt dry. "Coma?"

Warren noticed how Chloe tensed at his words, and tried to explain himself more clearly. "Max's powers, sometimes they put her in a heavy sleep like state. Like how she will sleep for tens of hours at a time?"

Chloe nodded, remembering when Max passed out that one night during the storm, and didn't wake up until the following afternoon. 

"So, what. Do we just wait?" Nathan impatiently huffed, still sitting right next to Max's head. "What if that's not the case? We need to get her to the hospital."

Warren laughed dryly, "ah yes, because they know so much about Time Travelling girls in comas."

"We don't know that is the reason causing all of this." Nathan returned.

"That's the best guess we have."

"I'm not willing to take that chance." Nathan snapped. Meanwhile, Chloe was too shocked to focus.

"What other choice do we have, Nathan?" Warren was almost yelling at this point, "we can't take her to the hospital, and risk them asking questions we can't answer. Max's power is too unpredictable, too unfathomably complicated, that we can't assume the direction it's going to take. For now, we need to trust Max. Trust that she is strong enough to fight her way through this, fight the parasite that has been plaguing her for years."

Warren's eyes were slick with tears, he brushed them off with his teeth. Chloe felt slack jawed at his mini performance. Nathan refused to answer, shrinking into himself.

Chloe brushed her thumb carefully across Max's jaw, as if any harder pressure would shatter her like glass. "So, what do we do now?"

"Now," Warren said, his back straightening. "Now we wait."


	38. Answers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! Today I'm posting chapters 38 and 39 together. Because of time constraints, each chapter is only lightly edited, so there may be a few errors here and there. Thanks for understanding!

Max - ???

There is only darkness.

No light.

No colours.

No shapes.

It's a black, empty, nothingness.

At first, I panic. I think I've been blinded. I see nothing but black. That is, until I look down at my hands, which are somehow perfectly visible in this void. I flex my fingers, making sure that I still have full control over my limbs, and I do. That does barely a thing to calm my raging nerves.

I take a hesitant step forward, walking on a hard surface that is invisible. Despite the all consuming nothingness, my nerves are overloaded. Every single one on fire, telling me to run, hide, scream. Instead, I take another step forward.

I keep moving, despite every muscle in my body trying to force me to be still. Tripping on what seems to be air, I try to maintain my footing on the invisible solid ground beneath my feet. Where does this all go, and does it have an end? I guess there's only one way to find out.

Gradually, it gets easier to navigate in the pitch darkness. I keep my hands in front of me at all times, just so I remember that I can actually see. My steps become more sure, until I'm walking as if it were a normal sunny day. My breaths are rapid, the noise of my panic swallowed into the dark abyss.

The silence is maddening. Is this just a blank void? That can't be. I have to press forward. My ears start to ring, trying to come up with some noise to fill the aching absence of all sound. If I have to be here for much longer, I think I'm going to go insane.

Strangely, my feet don't begin to feel sore after what feels like hours of walking. I don't feel anything. There's no breeze here, it feels like the temperature is leaning anyway one or another. Why am I even here, and where is here? I try to reach back into my memory, but I'm met with fistfuls of nothing. My chest tightens.

I wish I had Chloe here with me, she would know, she would know what to say. Chloe would guide me through this.

_Anything you say, Max._

The voice is gentle, but the sudden sound is deafening.

Chloe?

Her voice, she's here. I search the emptiness for the blue haired girl, but she's not around. Was it just my imagination? I'm starting to go crazy here...

_Come on, Max. Let's go!_

"Where are you?" I call out into the abyss, trying to find her. "Why can't I see you?"

Her sweet laughter rings in my ears.  _Let's go._

The outline of Chloe's figure appears before me. A distinct outline of white against the petrifying darkness. Her colours are missing, her hair, her skin, her eyes, but her shape clear and edged. I reach out to grab her hand, and it fades through Chloe's shape. She's... not real?

Chloe's shape turns to look at me, her face featureless. She then turns around, and starts to walk through the darkness.

"Chloe..." I say, starting to doubt this.

Chloe's figure casts a brief glance at me over her shoulder, and keeps walking. I stumble to keep up with her.

"Where are we?" I ask, even though I don't hear my voice through the air. "Where are you taking me?"

_You want me to guide you, right?_

I follow, hesitant. I catch up to Chloe, walking shoulder to shoulder with her. She doesn't even acknowledge that I'm here, continuing to walk forward without a side ward glance. Once again, I reach for her hand, hoping I can actually hold on this time. But once again, her outline slides right through my skin. I feel a chill run through my body, starting at my wrist.

"So, what's going on, Chloe?" I ask, mesmerized by her featureless shape.

I get no response.

I frown. "Why aren't you talking to me? I know you can, you did just before."

Nothing.

I walk head of Chloe, and turn around. I place my hands out, ready to grab her shoulders and stop her dead in her tracks. She continues walking, and walks right through me. I shiver as a sweeping cold flourishes through my whole body. Chloe keeps moving.

I catch up to her after I shake off the bone chilling feeling. "Come on. Talk to me, say something!" I urge, but what if she can't hear me? I can't even hear my own voice, as it gets swallowed by the nothingness between us.

_What do you want me to say, Max?_

Her voice throws me off. It's strangely mechanical and hollow, not like the charming Chloe I'm used to. I take a few moments to get myself together. "Tell me where we are, and where we are going."

She completely ignores my demand.

My anger seethes. "What's wrong with you, Chloe?" I want to yell, I want to her the anger and volume of my own voice, but yet again I only feel my lips move; unsure if I even have a voice.

Chloe looks left, as if she's observing some sort of feat; even though nothing is there. She is blissfully ignorant of my entire presence.

My anger boils, and my fists clench. I can feel my fingernails digging into my flesh, but it doesn't hurt. "If you're not even going to help me, then I don't want you around at all!"

When I blink, she's missing.

I recoil, like I just got punched in the face. I spin all the way around, to see if she had just kept walking away from me. But no, she's completely gone. As quick as she had joined me, she has left me.

My stomach twists itself into several little knots, my fingertips feel numb. I hate this place, I can't stand being here for any longer. I want to quit. I want to sit down on the invisible floor and curl up into a ball. I want to lay there until everything goes away. Then I remember why I'm here.

The motel room comes back into my mind, the conversation I had with my power. The way I followed it into the back of my mind. So, what? Is this my consciousness or something? I'd like to think it's somewhat more lively than nothing.

If this is my consciousness, and did actually follow my time powers in here; then I have to keep going. I have to find what I came in here for, and I have to take it down, once and for all. However, the question remains. How do I find something that doesn't physically exist?

It's not like Time is a physical person, or a backpack. It's a concept. Not something you see with your eyes, but something you feel in your bones. That's going to make all of this so much harder.

I press on. Not because I want to, not because I feel I have to, but because I  _need_  to. I am not coming out of this empty handed. I can't, I just can't.

"Well, well. I'm certainly surprised."

The ground jolts beneath me. All around me, the darkness fades; instead it's replaced by light, colours, shapes. The world is building around me. At my feet, a carpet grows out of the floor, like seedlings bursting into plants. Three beige walls build at my sides, and behind my back, but the fourth wall is brick; each individual rectangular brick adheres together, building a solid fortification. Two windows are cut into the brick, revealing bright sunlight.

A bed comes into existence on my right, and a couch to my left. A simple pink and white blanket is laying over top of the bed, part of it folded to show where someone has gotten out from under the sheets. Beside the couch, a guitar leans against the wall, covered in cute stickers. Papers and binders are sprawled all over the comfortable fabric couch, someone was hard at work there.

Decorations come next, posters line the walls, popping with bright colours. A few desks with miscellaneous belongings appear. Photos line the wall against the bed, depicting nature, and people alike.

My eyes burn with the suddenness of everything. I squint, protecting their sensitivity. The room I'm now in, it's so familiar. It's... It's...

My dorm room?

"I was almost certain you weren't going to find me. You looked pretty lost there for a while."

I whirl around, looking for the source of my voice. I find myself.

It's like staring in a mirror. I'm staring at the exact reflection of myself. Her hair is short, though getting shaggier with every passing day. Her forehead had worry lines, even though she, like me, is only in her early twenties.

My entire body becomes cold when I see what she's wearing.

The familiar grey hoodie fits her perfectly, despite being meant for my 18 year old body. Her pink Jane Doe shirt is a little short, however, and it shows a little bit of her stomach. Not in the 'she looks stupid in the shirt that doesn't fit her' way, but in a 'she looks _good_ in that shirt' way, it looks intended. Her faded blue jeans are cuffed at the ankles, something I never liked to do until I first attended Blackwell.

I haven't seen those clothes in years, and here she is; looking as comfortable as ever.

"How...? What...?" I'm at a complete loss for words.

"It's not like what you imagined it to be in here, huh?" She continues, ignoring my confusion. The Secondary Max rubs a loving finger along the frame of the bed. "That trick you did, with summoning Chloe? Nice work. You're already learning."

I shake my head, "what are you talking about?"

She laughs, shrugging off my question.

I feel my fists clench again, but this time, the pain comes with. "Who are you?" I ask. Of course, I know  _who_  she is, she is me, but how? Why?

Her devious smile sends a tremor down my spine. "Why, I'm you, Max." Her voice gives me a headache, "I'm what's  _inside_  of you."

The sharp headache makes me gasp, touching my temples to try and control the pain. Suddenly, I know everything, like she told everything without words. She is my power. My mouth tastes metallic, and for a second I think I'm going to have a nosebleed, but no blood comes.

"Now you get it." Her smile softens into a slightly more understanding look. Only slightly.

I have so many questions, so many things to say. Removing my hands from my face, I feel lightheaded, and I fight the urge to puke. "How... I have so many questions." I mutter, mostly to myself. Well,  _myself_ myself, not her.

With a curt nod from Time Max, my urge to vomit disappears. "I guess you did a really good job getting here, I owe it to you to answer some questions."

 _How humble of you_ , I want to say, but I don't. Instead, I watch as she sits down on the bed without moving her feet. "I'm sure you have plenty of questions."

One of the first things that come to mind is a memory that I forgot I have, something that was so long ago. It only happened once, when the illusion of an undead Rachel Amber tried to murder me in my own apartment.

The Time Max sighs, knowing what's in my head before I speak it. "My communication was in its infancy then. I tried everything I could to get you to understand me." She tries to explain, but somehow her words are lost.

I think I know what she means. "You tried to make me see things."

She nods, pleased that I've understood. "I tried to recreate what I did with the storm, and make you see what I see." Then she frowns, "it was too traumatic for your brain to handle. I knew I had to find other ways to make you understand." That's probably when she started to talk to me.

I furrow my eyebrows, my thoughts going back to Chloe. "What about Chloe, and the... visions she was getting? Was that because of you?"

The second Max laughs, tossing her head back slightly. "Oh, I have no clue what that was about." She says, and judging by the way she crosses her arms, I know I won't get my answer.

I lower myself onto the bed, my eyes almost watering as I feel the fabric of my bed underneath me. I haven't been able to lay in this bed in four years, I didn't think I missed it as much as I do. I want to ease myself into the questions, start slow and work up, so I don't over load myself, or even her. "Do you... live here?" I ask. It's not the question I want to ask, but it comes out anyway

The Time Max nods, "home sweet home." She says, accept, its not home anymore. Not for me. She fondly looks around the room, her eyes settling on the wall of photos right next to us. I recognize a lot of them, distant memories of photos I'd taken around the campus. The first snowfall of the year I started attending Blackwell, pictures of beakers in Science class, Warren standing beside them. They are distant memories, but I remember them as if they were just yesterday.

"Why?"

The Time Max's sly look is gone for a small moment, replaced with an insecure look I've seen on myself so many times. Then the smirk is back. "I need somewhere to be, right? As if I'm just going to be floating in the abyss of people's minds. Even  _I_  know it gets creepy out there." She says, leaning back against the bed frame.

' _People's_ ' minds, plural? "Have you done this with other people before?" I ask, having to remember that I'm not actually talking to myself. I'm talking to the abstract concept of time, that has taken my form.

"Several, yes." She says, "starting as early as the 18th Century."

I feel my jaw go slack, this power is in other people? It's been possessing people for this long? I feel dizzy.

"I can only possess one person at a time, Max." She days, as if reading my mind. "And I decided to choose you."

I frown, "why?"

" _Why_?" She echoes, "because you're unique, Max. You have a gift. The gift to care about others, the gift of kindness and compassion. In all my years of being around humans, I have never met one quite like you."

That only makes my frown twist further. In a world full of people, it found  _me_ , it chose  _me_. How did it know to find me? Right now, this is asking more questions than its answering. I decide to ask questions on a smaller scale. "For a while, I had Chloe's voice in my head. Was... was that you?"

I feel stupid asking it, but to my surprise, she nods. "Yeah. That was me."

I'm about to ask why, but she's one step ahead of me. "I was weak when I first tried to talk to you. I hadn't built up enough strength, every time I spoke to you, it just blended in with your thoughts. I had no way of communication." She scratches at her neck, "so as soon as I had enough strength, I took up the voice of someone you will listen to."

She took on Chloe's voice because it would make me hear her easier. She  _used_  Chloe to get to me, I feel my cheeks heat. Whether from embarrassment or anger, I don't know.

She continues, "but when that started to make you upset, and started to hurt you, I stopped." Time Max pursed her lips rightly, "the last thing I want to do is hurt you, Max."

No way she's getting sentimental on me, she's been ruining my life. "As if." I say, through gritted teeth. "All of my pain as been your fault."

Time Max sighs, "Max, I am a piece of you. We are one, I help you as you help me."

 _A symbiotic relationship_. "But I've been getting nothing out of this." I counter.

"Oh, on the contrary, Max." Time Max says, tilting her head to the side like a bird. "You have the ability to bend and control me to your will. You can do anything over and over until you get what you want. You're unstoppable." Her eyes darken, "we are unstoppable."

"The tornado, the destruction I caused because of this power." I look down at my hands, as if I can see the power seeping from them. "I can't mess with time, or I destroy everything."

"A little price to pay for all the power in the world." She responds.

" _Little price_?" My voice comes out a silent shrill, "so many people are dead! More will follow if I keep you around. I need to get rid of you."

Time Max's cocky look turns sour. "You don't want that, Max."

"I do."

Her laughter is dark. "I live in your head, Max. You can't hide your thoughts from me."

Ever since I left Seattle to go to Blackwell. I noticed something was missing inside of me. I felt cold, and constantly lightheaded. A piece of me was gone. I thought it would never go away. My first month at Blackwell, I was miserable. I thought it was because I didn't belong in either Arcadia, or Seattle, since they were both so eager to kick me out. I thought that hollow feeling would last forever.

But that one fateful day, when Chloe was shot in that bathroom, and I gained this power, something filled the gap in me. This power filled the hole in my life I thought would never go away. As much pain and suffering it caused me, it also kept me company. It was a warm embrace that made me feel okay when I was lonely, which bound to happen; despite being with Chloe. Having someone to be around is nice, but it's nothing near the feeling as being  _joined_  to something, connected on such a deep level.

I shake my head, she's bringing these thought's to the surface of my head on purpose.

"Do you really want to lose all of that, Max?" She says, trying to sound calm and relaxing. "Do you want to be all alone in your mind?"

I don't. Despite all of the pain and confusion the power brought me, I've never truly felt alone. I've had someone who understands my thoughts, who has my back, no matter what. But now I know, I've always had that. Chloe may not be perfect, but she gets me. We may fight, but she always has my back.

If giving up this deep connection, this feeling of being whole, means I get to live a normal life with the girl I love. I'm willing to lose it.

"Yes."

Time Max's face twists into anger. "You fool." She says, somehow rising to her feet without moving her legs. "You need me, you'd die without me."

"What makes you so sure?" I spit, glaring at my splitting image.

"I know you, Max." She says, "I know you're not capable to live in this world without me. You've been reliant on me for too long.

"I didn't ask for your help." I say, trying not to let my voice waver. "You came to me because you wanted to."

"I came to you because you were  _weak_." She's yelling now, almost screaming. "You would have let Chloe die in that bathroom if it weren't for me. You were a coward, and I had to fix that."

"Maybe so." I admit, knowing she's right. "But my use for you is done and over with. I don't want you anymore. I need you gone."

Her face temporarily twists with betrayal, but then it's back to snarling anger. "You wouldn't last without me."

"You don't know that." I say, because she doesn't. She can only change the past, not see the future.

Time Max stops, her eyes staring at me. She flexes her hands, clenching and un-clenching her fists. There's no doubt she's thinking of something. Does she always have a tendency to stop right in the middle of important things to think? Well, she  _can_  stop time, so she has that luxury. But she can't stop the time inside of my brain.

"You want to get rid of me?" She asks, her voice sly. She has something up her sleeve. The smartest choice would be to decline, and not have to face whatever undoubtable scheme she has planned, but what choice do I have?

I nod.

"Then prove you're strong enough to survive without me." She whispers, but I hear it perfectly. If that's all it takes, then I'll do it. I can survive any challenge she puts in front of me. After all, she is using  _my_  mind, so I have the advantage; right?

With a flick of her wrist, everything fades back into darkness.


	39. The Test

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Second chapter of the day!

Max -  ???

Damn it, just when I thought I had escaped the darkness.

This time, though, it's different. There is a strangely cool breeze, and the invisible ground beneath my feet is somehow softer. I look around, trying to see if there  _is_ anything to see, even if it's off in the distance, but it's to no avail.

Yet again, I'm plunged into darkness, and yet again I must walk until my feet grow tired. Is this her test, to see how my endurance holds up? If I reach some unseen destination will she give me the reward I seek? I guess there's only one way to find out. Luckily, this time the darkness is much easier to handle, even if that's not saying much. I've already experienced it before, so I know how it works.

After a few minutes of walking, my foot gets caught in what seems like a pothole, and I tumble to the ground. My face scrapes against a grainy substance, it kind of feels like... sand? I push myself off the invisible sandy floor, and look around. I'm obviously not in an empty abyss anymore, but I can't see where I am.

On my knees, I grab a fistful of sand and hold it up, but there is nothing in my hand. I feel it's gritty, and slight moist properties against my palm, but it looks like I'm trying to cup air. Scrambling to my feet, the smell of the ocean wafts through the air. Am I on some sort of beach? This is one of the last places I expected her to take me, even if I can't see it. 

I remember back to what I did with Chloe. Just as I was thinking about her made her appear before my eyes. It could have been a completely coincidence, but Time Max's comment about how I 'summoned Chloe,' was  _not_  a coincidence.

If I try hard enough, maybe I can do it again? This is my own mind, I have control over whatever happens in here. I can allow myself to see again. A strong breeze to my front threatens to knock me over, but I plan my shoes into the sand and barely avoid another fall. If I want to do this, I should do it now.

I clench my fists, and close my eyes. Well, I think I close them, it's hard to tell out here. I try to repeat the process of Rewinding for the first time. Deep breaths in and out, trying to feel it running through me. Beach, I'm at the beach. I want to see it.

But when I open my eyes, nothing has changed.

This won't be anything like Rewinding, will it?

I think back to when I made Chloe's silhouette appear before me, how I willed her to be there, how I imagined her standing beside be moments before she appeared there. I draw in a deep breath of air, and I imagine the beach around me. It looks like the coastline of Arcadia, where Chloe and I confronted Frank all those years earlier, and she shot him in the leg.

It's a sour memory, one that brings the metallic smell of blood to my nose. I have to brush it off if I want to focus solely on getting my vision of this place. I imagine the lapping waves against the sand, and Frank's RV parked away from the water's harm. I think about it all, the sunshine, and the way it feels on my skin, how the salty smell of water always stung my nose in the best way possible.

Thinking is not willing. I have imagined the place I want to be, but I haven't decided that's where I am. I will myself to be at the beach I envision myself at the beach. I focus so hard my head begins to hurt...

Light filters through my eyelids, and when I open them, it's all here. The beach in Arcadia Bay is all around me. I did it! I actually did it!

 _You're learning_. Time Max's voice cuts into my head, or is it just my own? Either way, I take this opportunity to get some answers. "Was that a test?" I ask, "to 'prove myself'? Because I think I did a good job."

She doesn't answer, and I clench my fists.

Sweet laughter behind me caused my to whip around so fast I almost call over. Chloe Price leans against her shitty beige truck, looking at me with fascination. "What are you babbling on about, Caulfield?"

It's her, it's really Chloe. She's 19 again, with her short blue hair complimented with a beanie, and the black jacket that goes over top of her tank. I stop mid breath, staring at the teenage girl. She notices, and chuckles. "What's the matter with you, Max?" She says, then her expression hardens. "Did you have to Rewind? Shit. Did Frank stick it to us?"

Frank? I glance over to is RV just off the sandy shore. Oh my Dog, I'm actually back at that Thursday all those years ago! I can't believe it. Then, I pause. If I'm back here, what do I have to do for my test? Maybe I have to handle this confrontation differently than I had before, and use what I know now to prevent anyone from getting shot, like last time.

"I... Um... No." I say, "just a headache, a normal one. It's fine." I don't want to tell her about all of this,  and get her worried. It's best I press on and pretend I'm living in the past. I feel a pair of eyes on me, but Chloe is adjusting the cuff of her sleeve to show more tattoo. 

She nods without looking at me. "You still sure about this? You can wait in the car if you want."

If this truly is a do over, then I don't want to just wait in the car, I need to take charge here, and prove that... Well, I'm not sure yet, but all I know is that I can't idly stand by. That would prove nothing except that I'm a coward. "No, I'm coming with you."

Chloe nods, and stands straight. "Let's do this."

I get crazy deja-vu as we walk towards Frank's RV, even though this is a distant memory. Chloe kicks aside an empty dog food bowl near the entrance of the run down vehicle, her hand brushes the back of her pants, no doubt feeling for her gun. My throat constricts.

"You ready to do this shit, Max? Frank can get really mean if you let him." Chloe says, getting ready to knock. This memory isn't right, it's not the same as it was years ago. There are... changes. Maybe it's because this isn't real, or this  _is_  the exact same, and I've just forgotten it.

Either way, I know that now is when I need to start taking charge. If I let Chloe dictate the conversation, there's no doubt it'll end in bloodshed. Also, taking charge is proving courage and independence, and that's what I'm here for; right? 

I shake my head, "Chloe, let me handle this."

She looks almost offended, and her body sort of recoils away from mine. "Max, I'm not a toddler. I can handle this shit, come on."

Stubborn Chloe... This isn't going to be easy.

"I know you're not a toddler, Chloe. I'm the one hat has the powers, right? I should be the one asking the questions." I say, ready to defend my point.

Chloe doesn't look like she's going to go out without a fight, either. "Your powers don't mean you control everything, just Rewind and tell me when I fuck up."

"That would take too many tries, too much Rewinding." I say, "if I go up there myself, it'll be easier."

"This..." Chloe scrambles for the words she wants to say, her fists clenched. "This is about Rachel, Max. This is my fight, not yours."

"Exactly." I say, throwing Chloe off. "You're too close to this, you might get too heated and push him over the edge. Let me handle this, Chloe. You know I can." Chloe looks uneasy, her fingers brushing the gun in her waistband.

"Don't you trust me?" I ask.

Chloe's shoulders shrink in defeat. "I trust you, Max." She says, with a deep sigh.

Good, things are going different already. If I keep this up, I should be able to get rid of my power in no time. When I walk over to the RV door, I feel the threatening eyes again. I look in the RV, wondering if maybe Frank can see me through the window, but they're too blocked up and dusty to see anything in or out. With an uneasy feeling, I knock on the door.

In the long stretch of silence before there is an answer, I look back at Chloe. I know none of this is real, but it  _looks_  like it is. Too much in fact. My eyes almost water when I look at the 19 year old punk with blue hair and nothing left to lose. She looks almost like a completely different person now, replaced with longer hair, jagged edges, and heavier burdens.

When the RV door opens, it nearly smacks me in the face, and I'm close to falling over. Frank stares down at me with pure daggers, I squirm under his gaze.

"Christ, what do you want?" Frank says, his voice almost a growl. He doesn't seem to notice Chloe yet, and I look over at her. She's tense, ready for action.

Frank's eyes follow mine, and his mouth curls into a displeased scowl. "Oh, great. You too." He grumbles, "the Wonder Twins, both in one place"

"Cut the shit, Frank. We've come to talk." Chloe says, her hand on the back of her waistband. I have to keep her from using the gun at all costs. I have to take charge.

"Really now?" Frank asks, with a scoff. "I'm not interested. Go play Detective somewhere else."

Chloe looks ready to pounce, but I intervene before she has the chance to make this all worse. "We don't want trouble, and it'll only take a second." I say, and when he doesn't look convinced, I add, "this will benefit us both in the end."

Frank reluctantly stands back. "How so?"

"Because, we need your help to find Rachel." Chloe snaps. I can tell she hates to admit that we would need anyone's help, but I'm glad she's bigger than her ego.

Frank snorts. "How the fuck do you think you'll find Rachel from me?"

"Because of your tie to Nathan Prescott." I say, and a twinge runs through my chest. I thought that Nathan was a creep who purposefully killed Rachel, but he was no more than an abused puppet. If I want to avoid raising Chloe's suspicion, I have to keep pretending that Nathan is an evil guy.

"Oh Christ that kid." Frank scoffs to himself, then to me he says, "I wish I didn't know that kid. He's fuckin' crazy."

"You're tellin' me." Chloe mumbles from off to the side. Frank shoots her a look.

I try to take his attention away from her. "We just need your account book, then we will leave you alone, swear."

"Oh,  _just_  my account book, huh?" Frank says, boiling with rage. "Why don't I give you all the drugs, and even my RV while I'm at it?"

"Hey, calm down man." Chloe steps closer, her hand still hasn't moved. This isn't going the way I wanted it to. I need to get them both to calm down, but it feels like there's no way. I physically put both my hands out, trying to block both parties from any aggression.

"Frank, I know it's a lot to ask." I say, watching how he's staring at my hand like it's an insult. "But it's the only way to find Rachel, and I know much you care about her."

I get ready for Frank to shoot back with questions, the same thing he did when Chloe and I did this for real, but instead he just looks down at the bracelet and sighs. "I do."

This definitely isn't right. I know I've changed things up by taking the lead, but things shouldn't be this different. An uneasy feeling rises in my cut, as I feel the menacing gaze become sharper. Who is watching us?

Frank's surprising vulnerability is gone as fast as it came. "This is my business, and I can't have a bunch of kids meddling in it." He says, "even if you did manage to find Rachel, and that's a big if, you won't do it with my help."

Chloe face is red, she steps forward and stands between Frank and I, who are almost toe to toe. "Jesus, Frank. You won't even try?"

Frank glances over at her, then sets his eyes back on me. "No."

Chloe spits, the glob of saliva barely missing Frank's shoe. "You never cared about Rachel like I did. She was a goddamn toy to you."

In an instant, Frank steps away from me to face Chloe, a knife in his hand.

"Holy shit." The words come out of my mouth involuntarily. Meanwhile, Chloe pulls out a weapon of her own: David's gun. Normally, Frank would yell and scream, calling Chloe a punk brat who doesn't know what she's talking about. The silence is eerie as Chloe and Frank stand with their weapons at the ready. This is  _not_  a redo of that fateful day.

Then what is this?

"Never bring a knife to a gun fight." Chloe says, her cocky voice shows the inflation of her ego. With a thumb, she cocks the gun. One move and Frank is good as dead. Chloe would never kill him, right? The real Chloe wouldn't kill him, but this one, I'm not sure about.

"You underestimate me, Price." Frank says, clutching the knife in his fist.

I need to do something, I need to stop this.

"Chloe." I snap, getting her attention. She turns her head to look at me, hands still pointing the gun at Frank. Her face looks desperate, eyes slightly red from un-shed tears. The sight causes my stomach to twist, and I don't know what to do next, so she keeps looking at me while she waits for what I want to say.

Frank takes advantage of the moment, and lunges forward; plunging the knife into Chloe stomach.

I gasp, and so does Chloe. She falls to the ground in a crumple of limbs, blood pooling from her stomach and onto the concrete beneath her. She isn't dead instantly, and lays there in a heap of gushing blood and labored breathing. 

Frank flinches the knife towards me as a threat, but he doesn't dare try anything. Instead, he looks at the teenager he just brought to death. I pick up Chloe's face in my hands, her eyes aren't open, but she's still (barely) breathing.

"What the hell, Frank?" My voice cracks as I look at the dying girl. It's not real, it's not real, it's not real. I repeat it to myself over and over, but her blood is so warm and metallic against my hands.

Frank doesn't answer with some sort of explanation, or a plea. He just backs up, with the knife clutched in his hand. "Tell the feds about this, and you're next."

I look back at my dying friend, who's breaths are getting weaker and weaker. I have to Rewind. There must have been some mistake I made in questioning Frank. I extend my arm, and Rewind time.

Except, it doesn't work.

I try again, a third time, a fourth, but Chloe still bleeds to death in my cradling arms. I can't Rewind.

 _Of course I can't, idiot._  I think to myself, this is supposed to be a test to prove my strength  _without_  the Rewind, and I failed. When Chloe's breaths disappear entirely, the entire scene fades, Chloe's blood is wiped from my blood, and I kneel in pitch darkness.

N͟o͏t̵ ̷of̸f ͡t͟o ̧a ̷g̶ood̷ s̴t̶art̕,̛ ͜M̷a͢xine.

 

 

 


	40. The Maxes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have to say, I wish I had some explanation for this chapter, but the truth is; I just wanted to write a fight scene. It's also unedited. So here you go.
> 
> Happy new year, by the way!

Max - ???

Wherever Chloe is right now, I just hope she's not worried about me. Despite my situation, she's all I can think about right now. It's probably because of vivid she was back on the beach, but all I want to do is cuddle her non-bloodstained body against mine.

Soon, I can. All I need to do if survive whatever challenges face me next. Unless that was the only challenge I had, and I'm stuck here forever.

No, no, Time Max said it was a 'start,' so there must be more in stock for me.

I have to take this more seriously.

The ground under my feet is solid again, I stomp down on it just to make sure. No breezes or gusts of wind to indicate any weather conditions, and of course, pure darkness.

Like the beach, I assume that I have to imagine the space around me for it to come into light, so I repeat the process. Focus, even breaths, power. There's still nothing. I do it again, then another time after that. Every time I try, I'm met with the same result. I really should have learned by this point, that no matter how many times I repeat it, something won't change just because I  _want_  it to.

Tired and defeated, I walk. The soles of my feet burn, sweat clings to my forehead. I don't know how long I've been walking since the incident, but it's been so long that pieces of it are starting to fade from my memory. I can't remember what Frank's face looks like, or the way his breath smelled when he was yelling in my face.

I do remember Chloe, the way her body shuttered as her life slowly came to an end. The way her jagged breaths came out in wheezes, despite the knife going nowhere near her lungs. How her blood got on my hands, then spread to her face when I touched it. She was covered in her own blood, and it was all my fault.

Pain shoots up from my soles to my hips with every step. My mouth feels dry. When can I just move on with this shit already? I want to get rid of everything, so maybe I can start a life for myself. A real one, with Chloe, and no nosebleeds. No having to lie for friends and neighbours about why I can't attend that special gathering, or why my nose is bleeding like a faucet.

My feet fucking  _hurt_ , and I don't think I can't take any more of this walking. How much father will I have to go until I stumble upon something? It really doesn't help that I have no idea what I'm doing in here. That asshole didn't even give me any sort of directions. Note to self, don't mindlessly chase the Time monster that possesses your brain back into the back of your consciousness, of you'll be stuck walking in a deep dark abyss for the rest of eternity.

Just thinking about the idea of never escaping, of doing this forever and ever and ever and ever, no more Chloe, no more Arcadia Bay, just me alone with  _literally_  nothing.

A tremor rocks my shoulders, and for a minute I think I'm going to cry. No matter how hard I try not to, how much I hold it in; each step of my sore feet leads me closer to me shutting down entirely. My knees buckle, my eyes well up with tears, my balance wavers. I let myself fall over.

I land on my knees, then the side of my butt, letting hot tears fall down my cheeks. I want this to be over. I want to wake up, and see Chloe again, and just lay with her for as long as humanly possible. I don't care if I'm not strong enough, I let my tears overtake my face, soaking it in my misery.

"So, what?" I try to yell, but the only evidence of my words is the stinging in my throat. "So what if I can't do this, huh? What are you going to do? Haunt me for the rest of my life?" My anger boils, and I start to claw at the solid surface beneath me. My tears are forgotten, replaced by a fire that threatens to burn me up.

When my nails start to become raw, I pound at the ground. Soon, my fists hurt, and my skin splits; blood staining my skin, but _I don't care._

"Let me out! I'm done!" My throat feels torn to shreds, and my hands are starting to numb with pain, but I keep slamming them against the ground. Each agonizing blow of my skin against the solid ground releases some of my wound up anger at the same time it fuels the tank of my madness. A never ending cycle of anger and pain. It feels  _good_.

I lift my fists above my head, and with one last scream that no one will hear, I pound the floor beneath me with all the might my tired body can muster.

It cracks.

The noise scares me, I flinch back, holding my broken and bruised fists close. When I look between my legs, there is a fracture in the darkness. White lines like spider webs stretch out across the nothingness, a break in the floor. My fists are too sensitive to survive another beating, so I use my heel to knock on the tear beneath me. The sound of glass breaking joins the steady growing of the cracks. The floor is like glass. I must break it.

I bring my heel down repeatedly, watching as the cracks in the glass floor grow each time. With every new break, more sound fills the air. My panting breaths, grunts and whimpers of pain, my jean pants rubbing together. I'm breaking the abyss.

The next time my heel lands, the ground beneath me completely shatters. I start to fall into nothingness, along with the millions of glass shards that I created. The shards start to cut my skin, and I curl up to protect myself. My screams echo all around me, filling my ears.

I'm falling.

I ' m falling.

I ' m f a l l i n g.

My back slams into sold ground, and it rips the breath right out of my lungs. I gasp, following my sputters and coughs as I try to get any air back in my body. I manage to sit upright, my back in searing pain. My arms are covered in little cuts from the glass shards, each small cut dripping crimson blood down my arms and on to the concrete flooring I follow the direction of the blood, and run the pads of my fingers around the cool, grey concrete.  _Wait, where am I?_

It looks like some sort of concrete tunnel that has no end in sight, the whole thing is illuminated by florescent lights that seem to have no source, and a cool breeze filters in from somewhere. Well, it's better than literal nothing.

I rise to my feet, hissing at the pain that now surrounds my body. It doesn't look like there's any end in sight, no doors on the walls, or any ends to the tunnel. Do I just keep walking then?

Same routine, different location.

I glance upwards, looking at where I fell from, to see the hole on the roof of the tunnel. However, there is no hole, or gap in the roof. It looks perfectly healed over. I lean down and grab a shard of glass with my good hand, and throw it up at the roof directly above me. Instead of going through the concrete, like I expected, the glass smacks the roof, and falls back to me. I yelp, jumping out of the way before the shard hits me.

How did I fall through that? Whatever, I shake my head, there's no time to ponder on that. I should get moving and see if this tunnel has brought anything new with it. Like maybe a way out of all this walking. Despite all of my body screaming at me to stop, I press forward; putting one leg in front of the other.

I cradle my injured hand against my gut while I walk, using my better hand to stabilize it. It reminds me of Chloe back when she broke her wrist, and I laugh to myself. That was forever ago, in elementary school, maybe? Chloe fell off her skateboard and completely broke her wrist. I was panicking, crying, nit sure hat to do. Meanwhile. Chloe was surprisingly chill, even though she was the one that was hurt.

The memory of Chloe makes my heart twist. I want to know if she is okay, I want to be with her more than anything right now. I wish I could tell her I'm sorry, that this wasn't her fault. I can't live with myself thinking that she might feel guilty about all of this.

_Or she doesn't even know you're gone._

What? No. Where did that come from? I would never think that. Chloe wouldn't just abandon me like that, she cares about me, right? Or maybe thinking that she's hyper focused on me is self-centered. Even if Chloe is completely oblivious, I'm dying to see her again.

I've been so wrapped up in my thoughts, that I don't notice how my footsteps have gotten noticeably louder. Almost as if there are two sets of footsteps stacked on top of each other. Puzzled, I frown and stop walking.

The echoing footsteps continue.

Panic rises in my chest as I look all around me, looking for who my follower is, but there is no one in sight. The footsteps continue.

"Hello?" I call out, stupidly. If someone has been following me, and I haven't seen them yet. Chances are, they don't want to be found. It could be someone else, though, just as lost as me. Well, that's even worse. Who else would be wandering around  _my_  brain?

Chloe.

"Chloe!" I call out, "Chloe, is that you?"

The only respond I get is footsteps. I can't tell which was they're coming from, so I can't go towards, or away from them. At this point, I'm not sure which one I should be doing.

I cup my hands around my mouth, to make my voice sound louder. "Chloe?" I call again, hoping maybe this time she can hear me.

The footsteps speed up.

At this point, I should see whoever is coming. I'm not sure how well sound carries in this tunnel, but I can't assume it's very well. Unless this magic tunnel has magic physics attached to it, as well. I mean, I  _did_  fall through the solid roof.

My heart leaps in my chest when the footsteps break out into a full force sprint. Every inch of myself locks up, not sure whether to fight, or flee. I guess 'freeze' is an option on that scale, too. Something _woosh_ es past me so fast I almost get knocked over. I place my hand on my chest, trying to regain my footing. It happens again on my other side, this time there is a human like noise that goes with it. The noise may be human, but the speed isn't.

"Stop, please." I say, trying to stay on my two sore feet.

The next time it flies by, it grazes my shoulder. The momentum is enough to spin me around, but I'm strong enough to stay upright. Fighting to stay on my feet only makes their pain worse, my back burns from spinning around like that, my shoulder blades pulsating from my rough landing.

"Leave me alone." I plea, starting to curl into myself.

An angry war cry follows the shape this time, as it just barely misses my head.

Heat builds in my chest, and spreads out to my limbs. However this is, why can't they face me normally? All of this avoidance, this pushing me around starts to make my anger flare up. Wow, two anger outbursts in rapid succession? It's a wonder I manage to deep this all hidden in here.

"I'm not in the mood for this." I say, starting calmly. "Just show yourself, or leave."

Something slams into my stomach like a truck. I fly back, landing on my right bicep and roll to a stop a few feet from where I stood a second ago. It's a miracle I don't vomit all over the ground, because my stomach is swirling so much it's hard to keep it all in. A little bit of puke rises into my mouth, but I swallow it down; cringing.

I don't have the energy to stand up, so I lay helpless on the floor. The world around me spins, even after I try to blink it off. At least I managed to save my broken hand in all of the commotion, keeping it pressed tight against my twisting gut.

The sole of a shoe presses against my shoulder, then pushes me onto my back. I don't resist the force. I can see the silhouette of my attacker against the fluorescent lights on the tunnel roof. Squinting, I try to see who it is.

My attacker grabs the collar of my shirt and pulls my head up at the same time they lean down to me. Petrifying fear fills my veins when I stare into my own eyes. I can't help the gasp that bursts from my lips. It's me.

Almost a carbon copy of myself, with the same hair, and eyes, and freckled cheeks. She wears the same clothes I was wearing when I was back in the motel room, a simple white shirt with loose fitted jeans, and a beige flannel.

The knuckles on the hand that holds my collar are bruised and cracked, not unlike my own right now. Her eyes are cold and furious, holding a deadly flame I've never imagined possible. She  _radiates_  dark energy.

When she lets me go, my head smacks against the concrete below me, and stars spill across my vision. I blink several times, clearing them away. The Max Clone still stands above me, fists clenched, ready for action.

I scramble to my feet as quick as I can, pushing through the pain that's spreading from every inch of my body. I pant, slouching; with my good hand resting on my shoulder. Meanwhile, the Max Clone stands with perfectly straight posture, ready for a battle.

"Are you.. trying to fight me, or something?" I ask, "because I don't want to fight you."

She doesn't respond, just tucks her chin towards her chest. I allow every nerve in my body to be on edge, ready for anything. But yet, she doesn't move.

We are at a quiet stand still for a long stretch of time, I wait for her to make a move, where she stares at me with her cold and unforgiving eyes. Is there supposed to be some sort of queue, some sort of sound that signals when we are supposed to start tearing each other apart? I wait for that moment.

She lunges at me so fast, I barely have time to put my arm out to stop her. The collision of my hand against her shoulder causes both of us to recoil.

Clone Max wastes no time charging again, slamming her fist into my gut. I stumble backwards, my back pressing against the tunnel wall. My clone gives a devious smile, she's got me right where she wants me. Her knuckles slam into my cheek, and I fight to suppress a cry of pain.

She swings another punch towards my face, but this time I'm a little more ready for it. Moving my head as much as I can under her hold, I barely miss her punch; letting her fist collide with the concrete wall. The Clone doesn't make a noise, just grimaces and looks at her knuckles to examine the damage.

I take the opportunity to strike, shoving the identical girl off of me, and punching her square I the jaw with my only good hand. Her head snaps back, and she almost falls over from the momentum. Huh, I didn't think I had it in me.

A wicked snarl twists Clone Max's face, as she's already recovered from the blow. She lifts her arm in the air, ready to slam her hand down onto my head, but I act fast; blocking her punch with one arm, and elbowing her in the ribs with the other.

While I'm distracted with my momentary victory, Clone brings her heel down on my toes. The sensation of pain is rippling, and I lose my stance against her, trying to limp away. No doubt there's at least one broken toe.

Without a moment to lose, Clone Max grabs my shoulders, then throws me against the opposing wall. My left side smashes against the hard surface, and my entire body seizes up. I try to command my body to do something, anything, but it just goes limp, and slides to the ground. I have to move. I have to  _fight_ , but my body just doesn't have any energy left. I'm useless.

Hands close around my calves, dragging me away from the wall. I look up from my spot on the ground to Clone Max, who now has someone beside her.

It's Time.

She laughs, the sound is off and it makes my spine crawl.

"Haven't you ever heard the expression 'face your inner demons'?" She asks, her voice is as smooth as silk and I hate it.

I lean back on my forearms, trying to get a better view of her. "So, you're saying I have to fight myself?"

She nods, looking pleased. "Fight the different versions of yourself, brought together from the many realities we created."

 _Many versions_? A pit forms on my stomach. How many Maxes will I have to fight in order to set myself free?

I glare up at her. I'll fight every single one of them if it means my freedom with Chloe.

Time Max's hand is on Clone's shoulder, but she doesn't even acknowledge it. Her eyes are trained on me, like a guard dog awaiting the order to kill. Time starts to step away.

"Oh, and Max?" She stops for one last comment, "try not to lose yourself in the meantime, okay?"

My eyes widen, but I don't have enough time to process what she said before Clone kicks me in the jaw. The top of my skull cracks against the ground, and vomit churns in my stomach. Looks like I don't have the time to ponder my impending doom right this second.

I'm surprised when my opponent lets me get on my feet, but that surprise fades when she lands a punch square on my nose. Blood is on my hand when I touch my lip, thick and red. When the Clone comes running at me, I grab her shoulders and throw her to my side, leaving a bloody red hand print on the light coloured flannel.

Her feet skid on the ground, slowing her to a quick stop. She brings her foot up, kicking me in the side. Kicking, now? Why can't we just stick to punching, or maybe even setting aside our differences and bonding? A punch lands on my ribs, taking the air right out of my lungs. Guess not.

Clone punches for my head again, but I move it away just in time to feel her fist whip right beside my ear. Our battle becomes a sort of synchronized dance, each punch or kick is met with a well timed block. We read each other like a book, knowing every move before the other even decides it. We both have the same mindset, we are the same person, after all.

After her first collides with my forearm again, I notice that I'm getting closer and closer to the wall behind me. She's trying to trap me against the wall again. My fist burns when it's met with another perfect block, and I know I'm running out of steam fast. If she manages to get my back against the wall I don't know if I'll be able to shake her off in time.

Next time Clone brings her foot up for a kick, instead of blocking it; I grab her leg, and throw her to the ground. Her shock gives me enough time to land another blow to her side, then another. I have her exactly where I want her, and when I stomp down on her chest, I'm satisfied to hear some ribs crack.

When I bring my foot down for another blow, her body disappears before I land it, and my food stomps onto the concrete floor so hard my teeth clatter. Before I can react, the tunnel around me vanishes with her.

Did I do it? I think I beat her. I let out a long sigh, which gets swallowed in the darkness. I beat my clone in a fight. I've never gotten to say that before, it feels weird in a funny sort of way. The only question left, is finding out what comes next. Time said that there are multiple versions of me from multiple realities, right? So, I guess all I have to do is track them down.

But, she also said I could lose myself.

I don't even know what she means by that, if it's like a physical thing, a mental thing, or what. The uncertainty of it curls in my stomach.

When I take my next step forward, I'm shocked when I don't feet the pain in my foot. When I look down at my hands, they are perfectly healed, with no bruises or blood in sight. I've been... fixed, I guess. Maybe in between the fights, I'm healed so I can go into each new fight with a fresh start?

Man, I can't believe I'm living a real life Boss Rush.

"Well, you better believe it Maxine."

I whip around to the voice, and find my next challenger waiting for me. I almost snort when I see her. Again, it's Max, just like me, but this time she's wearing full on pirate gear. Drab brown clothes hang off her skinny features, a goofy hat with a skull and crossbones on the front is placed on her head. She even has an eye patch, and a few streaks of her hair are dyed blue. I'm facing against a version of myself that's actively a pirate.

Despite my situation, I laugh at her. "Wait, so what reality do you come from?"

Pirate Max's posture straightens, trying to look more intimidating. "After Chloe died, I didn't know what to do with myself. The only things on my mind were her, and the infuriating anger that came with knowing I killed her."

I gulp, I was one life changing choice away from being like this menace. She keeps talking, "so I left Arcadia. It was too small for all the plans I had in mind. Once I got in LA, my revenge on the world started." I think I know where this is going.

She must see the fear starting to grow on my face, she basks in it. "My first job was easy, just help up a liquor store a few blocks from my shithole apartment, but then it became so much more. The more jobs I did, the more I needed some sort of costume, or alias; like Superman. Except I robbed stores and killed people."

I feel frozen in my own body while Pirate Max showed off her attire. "That's where this beaut came from. Like it?"

I shake my head. "No."

"Oh, well..." She says, and pulls a heavy sword from its sheath. "Soon that won't matter."

Sword, weapon, I'm screwed. She moves at a surprising pace, the sword clutched in both hands. She swings the swords up, then brings it down. I barely move out of the way in time, and the blade cuts through my shoulder; spreading hot pain down my arm.

I clutch the injured area, trying to stop more blood from leeching out of my shoulder. The sword slows her down, so maybe I can get a jump on her. The heavy sword comes down again, and I move myself out of the way before it can cut my head off my body. Her sword isn't like a fist or a foot, I can't just block it without my entire arm being completely severed. I can't fight back until I can take her sword away.

Or if I can get a weapon of my own.

The sword swings down, and smashes into the ground where my foot used to be. While Pirate is recovering, I kick the fuller of her sword, and it falls right out of her hands. We both look at each other in a moment of panic, then we dive for the sword.

Pirate pushes me to the ground, and I grab her wrist, pulling her down with me. We scramble on the ground together, no weapons, just our fists. Finally, we're playing fair. Her fist jabs my nose, and I punch her jaw. We are a tangle of limbs, punching and kicking, trying to get free.

"Get off me." Pirate Max snarls, kneeing my groin, and punching my eye. I curl up, clutching my face in my hands to protect it from any other powerful blows. I'm distracted too long, and Pirate snatches her sword back.

When I try to get to my feet, Pirate punches my cheek, and I sprawl back onto the invisible floor. With a dark laugh, the point of the sword is almost right in front of my nose, I feel the pressure of a boot on my chest. I've been bested.

"You know, the way Time talked you up, I thought this was going to be a challenge." She says, rotating the sword in her hand, so she could see the details etched into the grip. A sigh wisps from her lips, "I guess she was mistaken."

I stare at the tip of my doom, just inches away from my nose. Pirate Max's boot still rests heavily on my chest, trapping me down onto the ground. I nee to find a way to fight back. Without a weapon, I'm completely toast, but I can't make any sudden movements to grab Pirate's, because then my head would be off.

Then I guess I'll have to make one. Just like with Chloe, I can make anything appear if I want it to. This is my own mind, I rule here. I allow myself to go limp, focusing all of my power into my head. Confusion settles on Pirate's face above me.

Sword, sword, I need a sword if I have a chance of survival. I open my hand, allowing enough space for a hilt to form. It does. The shape of a wonderful longsword appears in my hand. It feels heavy, but nothing I can't handle. Pirate's face shifts into a scowl.

I swing my weapon up, making clash against the other sword. Pirate's balance wavers, and she stumbles away, her boot no longer clamping down on my rib cage. I'm free. When I'm up on my feet, neither of us act for long moments. Instead, we stand, weapon's poised, in an ultimate stare down. Every muscle in my body is alert, begging to attack with all my might. I can't attack yet, though. I'm still getting used to the weight of the sword.

"Of course you've learned of your power." Pirate Max spits, adjusting the grip on her weapon.

"And you, why the sword?" I ask, stalling for time while I get used to the heavy weapon in my hands. "You're a gangster, right? You must use machine guns all the time."

Pirate Max chuckles, with a proud shrug. "Usually, yes. However, that would be no fun. I want this to last." She says, her voice cold.

 _Fun_.

When I lunge, she expects it, bashing her sword against mine in a swift block. The collision of our swords causes sparks to fly overhead. I bring my arm up to block the hot sparks from landing on my skin. My vulnerability is a perfect window for Pirate, as she pushes me away, and swings her sword. It cuts my stomach, causing blood to run down onto my pants. I cry out from the pain, and bring one hand to the cut. It's not deep enough to be fatal, but I can barely move my torso without screaming pain.

The other girl looks proud with herself, and brings the sword towards my shoulders. A flash of pain joins my bodily movements when I deflect her attack. Pirate's teeth grind in a toothy grimace. I'm not going down as easily as she expected. I have a pattern of being underestimated.

Just like with Clone, it's easy for Pirate and I to predict each other's thoughts. Each powerful attack is met with an equally strong block. I don't even know how I'm doing it, but the movements come so easy to me. I feel like I've been training with a sword my whole life. Just because I told my brain that I have. There's no complaints here, though; because Pirate Max looks like she's beginning to wear out.

The heavy sword glides towards my shins, but I jump over it before my feet are taken clean off. Rippling pain moves through my stomach, and for a moment I feel incredible nausea. Her next attack comes faster than I expect it to, and I don't have as much time to react. The tip of my sword catches on hers, and the momentum bends my wrist in the wrong way.

I drop my sword, every nerve in my wrist in my shoulder on fire. I think it's broken. Pirate laughs, she's won again. For the last time, no doubt. My wrist burns, and my stomach still hasn't stopped bleeding, the taste of dry blood still lingers on my lips. I fall to my knees in anguish.

My opponent takes her time sauntering to my defeated form, glowing in her victory. When the tip of her sword presses against my throat, the panic of my defeat kicks in.

"Oh, I greatly overestimated you, Max." Pirate says, gently sliding the tip of her sword against my throat. "I'm almost disappointed at how weak of an opponent you were."

My sword, it lays only a couple inches from my feet. Close enough to reach out and grab, but my body is paralyzed, and a deadly weapon is poking against the flesh of my throat. I'm at a stalemate. If I distract her, I may have enough time to get my sword back.

In the condition I'm in, I don't know how easy it will be to grab my sword, and kill her with it before she counters. My breathing shallows involuntarily, easing some of the pain in my gut. It won't stop bleeding, and my whole lower half is drenched in blood. It's not long before all the blood in my body is drain out in its entirety. I try to shake the wooziness from my whole body, but it hangs over my thoughts like a blanket.

Pirate gives another laugh, this one is from deep within her throat. "Should I end you now, or watch as you bleed to death at my feet?" She says, sword tip still pressed against my throat, the pressure is strong, and I'm surprised it doesn't pierce my skin.

I don't have too long to figure this out, my brain is already clouding over as my limbs start to feel numb. Not even the panic can deliver enough adrenaline to keep myself going. I let the limpness take over, slouching even further on my knees.

My opponent notices my weakness, and pulls her sword back from my throat. Not a lot, but enough to take away the pressure. "I think I like the idea of watching you slowly die." She says, words thick of poison. I won't let her get the chance.

Just as I did with my sword, and with my surroundings, I give myself the strength I need. I create the illusion of my wellbeing, and I start to shed away the pain. My shoulders shake, then my chest, my stomach, my legs. every nerve is alight with the will to survive the will to prove her wrong. I am not weak. The fire inside grows bright, it swallows anything in it's path, all of my pain just turns to numbness, the wetness of my unshed tears is gone. I am fire. I am power.

While Pirate is distracted with my weakness, I lunge to the side to snag my sword off the ground. By the time she realizes what I've done, my sword is already in hand, and I drive it right into her gut.

We both gasp.

A cold sensation ripples across my chest as I pull the sword from Pirate's stomach, and let it drop to the ground. Her body shivers, then crumples down to the floor in agony. I look down at her, still on my knees, and my fingers are numb, my chest is numb, my whole body is numb. Everything feels like it's had the life sucked out of it.

Pirate lays still on the ground, completely unmoving. She's dead. So why hasn't she disappeared like the last Max I fought? A lump forms in my throat. I want to check to see if she really has died, but I don't bring myself to move towards her. I kneel helplessly.

It takes too long for the cold numbness to fade, and I'm left with a lingering feeling that I can't shake off. Pirate Max still lays dead in front of me, the way she is angled, away from me, it just looks like she's sleeping. Maybe if I try hard enough, I can convince myself that she is. My heart flutters in my chest.

"Glad to see you're getting the hang of this."

Over my shoulder, I see Time Max. She stands with her arms crossed, observing the scene. I try to get up as fast as possible, but my muscles feel stiff. I grunt with the effort.

Time Max smiles at me, "killing another version of you isn't good on the soul, huh?" She asks, a slight tilt to her head.

I suppress a heavy shiver. "It didn't feel like this before." I say, but then I pause. Wait, did it? I can't remember now.

A look of disappointment slides over Time's face, but it's gone so fast I find myself doubting if I really saw it. "Well, before was just practice. You didn't actually kill her."

Kill who? At this point, I'm not sure I remember.

Before I can ask her, Time's evil smile comes back. "Oh, but we aren't done here. I was just checking on you." As she says the words, the cut on my stomach starts to feel better, but the blood stains on my pants still remain. My nose feels a little better, too; it's no longer broken. Everything about me feels so much better, but the cold sensation sticks.

"Good as new." Time smiles at her work, then turns away from me. Casting a look over her shoulder at me, she says, "good luck, Max. You'll need it."

I take a step forward, trying to reach for her, but next time I blink, she's gone. I'm ditched in the darkness once again. There's no other choice but to press forward, moving way through the blinding darkness that lies ahead.

My feet start to drag the more I walk, fatigue weighs my eyelids down, my fingers still tingle with the numbness. A cold fog surrounds my thoughts, making it hard for anything to come to the surface. I live in the pure tiredness that weighs me down like lead. How much more of this can I take?

I trip, almost landing face first in front of me, but I catch myself before my balance is lost. Breathing a heavy sigh of relief, I collect myself. Phew, that was a close one.

What's closer, is the dagger that digs into the invisible ground just an inch from my foot. 

Adrenaline floods through my veins, replacing any tiredness I had before. My instincts react before the cloud in my brain can let me focus, and I grab the dagger. As my fingers touch the hilt, though, it evaporates into a navy blue smoke that rises until it fades in with the darkness.

Another dagger lands beside it, and it too disappears with my touch, curling into smoke that has my rapt attention. My attacker is making her way closer, stomping with determination. Her eyes are missing, instead they are replaced with pools of the same navy blue that the smoke was. In terms of facial features, though, she looked familiar somehow. Cheeks freckled, hair short and swept to the side, with high cheekbones and pale skin. It takes a few moments to realize that it's me.

One of her daggers appears in from nothing, and shoots right at my chest. I expect it to pierce through the flash, and kill me instantly, but instead, it absorbs into my body. A feeling worse than the cold, than any physical pain overcomes me, and I collapse to the ground in pure blinding agony. My vision goes blue, I feel nothing and everything at once, my mouth tastes like metal. What is happening to me?

I clutch at my hair, trying to create any other pain to divert my nerves away from the overpowering feeling that is running through my bloodstream. It doesn't work, but my vision starts to fade back to black. The Eyeless Max above me is fiddling with a dagger.

Why do I always start these battles on the ground?

The feeling in my limbs starts to come back, enough for me to wiggle my toes. It's a risky move, but I may be able to get on my feet before she can hit me again. My entire body shivers with anticipation, nerves shedding the paralyzing pain. With a burst of energy, I rise to my feet. The opponent is ready, and launches a faux dagger right at my neck. I somehow have enough wits to dodge it, and narrowly avoid another devastating blow.

My sword appears back in my hand with incredible ease, I didn't even have to think about it before the brilliant weapon is in my grasp. Eyeless lets out a noise from the back of her throat, it kind of sounds like a laugh. An evil and twisted laugh, but a laugh nonetheless.

When the next dagger comes flying, I bat it away with my sword, watching as it disintegrates upon the weapon's touch. Her laughter turns to anger at her failed attempt. Eyeless extends her arm, clenching her hand in a fist, a wordless command for her dagger. It lands on my shoulder, resulting in a cry that is so loud that it isn't swallowed by the darkness.

I stumble back, dropping the sword so I can clamp my hand over the invisible injury. Every single muscle on my left arm freezes and stiffens up, none of the pain spreads to the rest of my body. I can't move my entire arm.

I need to get my sword back, even if it won't do much against the daggers, I'll need something to defend myself with. Glancing down at the sword, and back to my opponent, I know I won't have enough time to lunge. The other Max launches a dagger at me, it just barely misses.

"Give up." a voice echoes, but her lips don't move.

I look around to the source of the voice, but there's nothing I see, other than another dagger that grazes my finger. When I look at the place where my sword fell, I notice that its missing. What do I do now, just make another one?

No, a sword would be useless in this match, I have to go for something better, something that will block the flying daggers from destroying my body from the inside out. When I lift my hand, calling for any sort of weapon comes to my aid, a shield appears on my arm. It's bright white, with black designs that blend in with my surroundings, it's edges are sharp like the blades Eyeless is attacking me with.

A snarl curls Max's lips, smoke starts to unfurl from her empty eye sockets. I brace myself for what's coming next.

There are no daggers, no flying menaces trying to absorb into my skin. Instead, with a grand gesture that starts at her thigh and rises above her head, thick navy blue tendrils wrap around my body. The navy blue tendrils hold me tight, trying to pull me apart piece by peace. No matter how much I struggle, I'm no match.

I have no choice but to watch as Eyeless Max prowls towards me like a predatory cat. The ghastly blue smoke fades from her eyes, there is somehow emotion in the dark pits I stare into, it glimmers with hatred and darkness. Eyeless just stares at me, not speaking. Can she even speak? I don't know.

The low rumble of amusement comes from behind her, and when Max angles her head, there Time stands. She wanders over to us at her leisure, allowing herself to look at my captor's work with some notion of pride.

Time lays a hand on Eyeless's shoulder, who leans into the touch, and purrs like a loved animal. "Good work." Time coos, "you have always been my favourite."

I try to tug at my bonds, but the tendrils only tighten; I fight to keep my cry of pain supressed. Luckily, my left arm is still dumb.

"What..." I try to talk, but my tongue is caught inside my mouth. "What happened to her?"

Time shrugs, easing her hand off of my evil clone, who still has tight clutches on me. "She came here once, just like you. She was seeking a way to get me out of here. Only, she couldn't handle the darkness like you."

The fear is my eyes really must show, because with hungry claws, Eyeless clenches her hand down harder, resulting in the tendrils digging into my skin with cold fury. Time continues on. "She succumbed, she had a weak will. I fixed that."

"She's... She's a  _monster_." Is all I can think to say, fighting for my freedom.

Time doesn't answer right away, she just admires the monstrous girl whose focus is on me, and me only. I am the only thing that exists to her.

"Have fun you two." Time says, and fades off  into the background. Of course, she's certainly a fan of leaving abruptly. 

And then there were two, I guess. Eyeless stares at me, the smoky darkness of her eyes makes my stomach feel like it's being stabbed by a thousand needles. This happened because she lost her will, she lost the fight inside of her. I can't end up like her, I won't.

As hard as I can, I swing down my arm, the sharp edges of my shield cutting through smoke tendrils. Eyeless hisses and recoils, her face is scrunched up in pain. I slash and slash, destroying each of the limbs that bound me. With each new slash, comes a shriek from the monster in front of me. Eyeless Max and her magic are one in the same, hurt one, an you hurt the other.

I've found her weakness.

While she's still off guard, I slam my shield directly into Max's face. Bad idea, though, because it seems to knock her wits back into her. Another dagger comes towards me, but I use my shield to block it with ease.

Furious, Eyeless creates a spear, a navy blue object whose edges wisp. I block her first swing, and the second, but her third jab lands on my thigh, making it feel like the muscle has been torn to shreds. I shout. Both my left arm and leg are completely useless, radiating pain that makes my eyes water.

I stumble backwards, trying to put some distance between us so I can come up with at least one plan. How do I kill a monster like this? I can hurt her, sure, but she has shown almost no other signs of slowing down. I'll have to destroy her body, that's the only thing I can think of. The spear comes me again, and it almost hits me, but my shield is in the way of her swing.

She likes to play with sharp things, hm? Two can play at that game. I use my shield one last time to deflect another spear blow, pushing hard so that Eyeless goes pedaling back. While she recovers, I bring in another sword.

This is it, this is it, she's over. Squeezing down on the hilt with my only good hand, I plunge it into Eyeless's chest. I expect her to fall over, for the battle to end, but instead she grabs the hilt of my sword, and pulls out.

There's no wound.

I'm frozen in pure fear, too scared to stop Eyeless Max from grabbing my wrist in her cold grip. I try to struggle, but her hand is like an icy shackle. Little vines of navy blue crawl from her hand onto my wrist, twisting and twirling onto my wrist and down my arms. They leave agony in their path, the feeling of being torn apart and put back together, only to be torn apart again. 

I can't stop her as the vines continue to swirl up my arm, the pain is too much, and my vision starts to go pure white. My entire body feels like it's being torn apart piece by piece, starting at the flesh, and working down to the muscles. I can't see anymore, I can't feel anymore. My existence starts to fade, ripped apart by the savagery of my own mind.

I try to fight, try to stop myself from fading away. There's no way I can go out like this, I'm so close to being done all this, I can feel it. I try to fight it, I try to piece myself back together, but nothing responds to my commands, my mortal body is useless.

My existence keeps fading, and with it, I start to grow weaker. My will to fight is swept away. I let it go.

While the remnants of my soul are fading away, all I know is agony.


End file.
